Defender is the 5th of the 6 new Type 45 – or Daring class – destroyers being built at BVT’s yard in Govan on the Clyde for the Royal Navy. The ship in the Royal Navy to bear her name, she will launch later today before the usual Govan crowd of thousands. For Argyll reported on the last Type 45 launch – HMS Dragon in November 2008.

The first of the 6, HMS Daring, who gives her name to the class, launched in February 2006. Dauntless followed in January 2007 with Diamond sent down the slip in November 2007. She’s doing sea trials at the moment and was seen around in the vicinity of some of the ships gathering recently for Exercise Joint Warrior 092.

The last of the Daring class is the one whose name is the odd man out – HMS Duncan.

The role of the Type 45s (costing over £600 million apiece) is to provide air defence cover. The destroyers are regarded as very advanced in their technological systems. The ship’s capabilities include the Sampson multi-function radar which can detect targets as far out as 400km and the PAAMS missile system.

Update 16.30 21st October: BBC video of the launch earlier today. Defender’s launch gear jammed for a few moments n the launch by Lady Massey, wife of Vice Admiral Sir Alan Massey, before an audience 0f 13,000.

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