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HMS Dragon (D35)
Encyclopedia
HMS Dragon is the fourth ship of the Type 45
Type 45 destroyer
The United Kingdom's Type 45 destroyer is an air defence destroyer programme of the Royal Navy which will replace its Type 42 destroyers. The first ship in the class, HMS Daring, was launched on 1 February 2006 and commissioned on 23 July 2009. The ships are now built by BAE Systems Surface Ships...
or 'D' class of air defence
Anti-aircraft warfare
NATO defines air defence as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action." They include ground and air based weapon systems, associated sensor systems, command and control arrangements and passive measures. It may be to protect naval, ground and air forces...
destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
s that has been built for the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
. She was launched in November 2008 and is currently conducting Stage 1 trials. She is due to be commissioned in Spring 2012.
Construction
Dragons construction began at the then BAE Systems Naval ShipsBAE Systems Naval Ships
BAE Systems Surface Fleet Solutions was a wholly owned subsidiary of BAE Systems, based at two shipyards on the River Clyde in Glasgow and BAE Systems' Filton offices...
(later BAE Systems Surface Fleet Solutions) yard at Scotstoun
Scotstoun
Scotstoun is a historic district of Glasgow, Scotland, west of Glasgow City Centre. It is bounded by Yoker and Knightswood to the west, Victoria Park, Broomhill and Whiteinch to the east, Jordanhill to the north and the River Clyde to the south...
on the River Clyde
River Clyde
The River Clyde is a major river in Scotland. It is the ninth longest river in the United Kingdom, and the third longest in Scotland. Flowing through the major city of Glasgow, it was an important river for shipbuilding and trade in the British Empire....
in December 2005, and by December 2007 the bow section was in place on the Govan
Govan
Govan is a district and former burgh now part of southwest City of Glasgow, Scotland. It is situated west of Glasgow city centre, on the south bank of the River Clyde, opposite the mouth of the River Kelvin and the district of Partick....
slipway for mating with the other modules.
Dragon launched from the slipway at Govan
Govan
Govan is a district and former burgh now part of southwest City of Glasgow, Scotland. It is situated west of Glasgow city centre, on the south bank of the River Clyde, opposite the mouth of the River Kelvin and the district of Partick....
on 17 November 2008 at 3:00pm. Her sponsor is Mrs. Susie Boissier, wife of Vice Admiral Paul Boissier
Paul Boissier (Royal Navy officer)
Vice Admiral Paul Boissier CB is a former Royal Navy officer who became Chief of Fleet Support.-Naval career:Born the son of Peter Boissier and his wife Jo, Boissier joined the Royal Navy in 1974...
, Deputy Commander-in-Chief Fleet and Chief of Staff. She will be fitted out at Scotstoun
Scotstoun
Scotstoun is a historic district of Glasgow, Scotland, west of Glasgow City Centre. It is bounded by Yoker and Knightswood to the west, Victoria Park, Broomhill and Whiteinch to the east, Jordanhill to the north and the River Clyde to the south...
. Dragon commenced her first set of contractor's sea trials on 5 November 2010.
Design
The Type 45 will be the most advanced air-defence warship in the world. The ship's capabilities centre on the SAMPSONSAMPSON
The SAMPSON is a multi-function AESA radar produced by BAE Systems Integrated System Technologies. The SAMPSON multi function radar system is described by BAE Systems as being a world beating air defence system...
Multi Function Radar, which can detect targets out to a distance of 400 kilometres (216 nmi), and the PAAMS
PAAMS
The Principal Anti Air Missile System is a joint French/Italian/British programme for a naval anti-aircraft weapon. The prime contractor is EUROPAAMS, a joint venture between Eurosam and MBDA subsidiary UKAMS . MBDA also owns 66% of Eurosam, in effect giving it a 77% share of the project...
missile system.
The Type 45 has frequently been cited by the British press as being the first class of warship to include e-mail and entertainment systems (including iPod
IPod
iPod is a line of portable media players created and marketed by Apple Inc. The product line-up currently consists of the hard drive-based iPod Classic, the touchscreen iPod Touch, the compact iPod Nano, and the ultra-compact iPod Shuffle...
charging points) within the messdecks. These reports relate to 230-volt domestic supplies and access to external e-mail, both of which have been common features in most RN vessels for several years.