HMS 'Dragon', the fourth Type 45 anti-air warfare destroyer built by BAE Systems for the Royal Navy, has arrived at Portsmouth Naval Base, UK, where she joins her sister ships HMS 'Daring', HMS 'Dauntless' and HMS 'Diamond'.
First steel was cut on HMS 'Dragon' in December 2005 and she was launched at BAE's Govan yard in Glasgow in November 2008. After undergoing an extensive sea trials programme, 'HMS Dragon' left the Clyde for the final time on August 27with a combined BAE Systems and Royal Navy crew.
The Type 45 destroyers will provide the backbone of the UK's naval air defences for the next 30 years and beyond. The destroyers will be capable of carrying out a wide range of operations, including anti-piracy and anti-smuggling activities, disaster relief work and surveillance operations as well as high intensity war fighting.
Each destroyer will be able to engage a large number of targets simultaneously, and defend aircraft carriers or groups of ships, such as an amphibious landing force, against the strongest future threats from the air. The vessels will contribute a specialist air warfare capability to worldwide maritime and joint operations.
