18/03/2014 by Paul Fiddian - Armed Forces International's Lead Reporter

The Royal Navy's next-generation AgustaWestland Wildcat helicopter has landed on a Type 45 Destroyer's deck for the first time. The landing paves the way for the Wildcat to start replacing the Fleet Air Arm's Westland Lynx HMA8 helicopter from 2015 onwards.

Currently, the Wildcat is being trialled by 700W Naval Air Squadron based at RNAS Yeovilton, Somerset, UK. Five Wildcat airframes are being routinely put through their paces ahead of the type's scheduled entry-into-service next year.

Two variants of the Wildcat have been developed - one for the Royal Navy, the other for the British Army. The Fleet Air Arm will get 28 Wildcats and they'll be equipped with two new weapons - the LMM (Lightweight Multirole Missile) and the FASGW (Future Anti-Surface Guided Weapon) - along with heavy and general purpose machine guns.

Wildcat Destroyer Landing

The Wildcat Destroyer landing trial involved HMS Dragon - the fourth Type 45 ship produced, which was handed over to the Royal Navy in August 2011. Like its counterparts HMS Daring, HMS Dauntless, HMS Diamond, HMS Defender and HMS Duncan, HMS Dragon is a multirole-capable vessel capable of undertaking surveillance, anti-piracy, disaster relief aid and other missions.

Its flight deck can accommodate two Wildcats or a single Westland Merlin HM1 anti-submarine helicopter and its armament includes the Sea Viper air defence system, Harpoon anti-ship missiles and a 4.5 inch Mark 8 naval gun.

Type 45 Deck Trials

"Today is a small, but exciting, step in the progression of this new capability and I am delighted that HMS Dragon was able to help", commanding officer, Captain Iain Lower, explained in a statement on the Type 45 deck trials. "I look forward to seeing what the aircraft can do when we put it through its paces later this month."

"This year will be one of many firsts for the Wildcat crews as we work with our industry partners to get the aircraft to sea as soon as we can", added 700W NAS' commanding officer, Lieutenant Commander Simon Collins, in the MoD's Wildcat deck landing press release. "Deck landings on board a Type 45 at sea are a real milestone and it was a pleasure to join the HMS Dragon team to show them what Wildcat can do."

Members of HMS Duncan's ship's company line up on the dockside at the ship's commissioning ceremony (Picture: Leading Airman Maxine Davies, UK MoD)

27 September 2013 Ministry of Defence and Defence Equipment and Support

HMS Duncan, the sixth and last of the Royal Navy's new-generation Type 45 destroyers, has been formally commissioned into the fleet.

Hundreds of guests, including families of the 190-strong ship’s company, attended a ‘christening’ ceremony yesterday, 26 September, at Portsmouth Naval Base to mark the ship’s transition into front line service.

The event marks a significant milestone for the fleet of Portsmouth-based Type 45s – the most powerful ships ever built for the Royal Navy.

The first Type 45, HMS Daring, was commissioned in July 2009 and has been followed by her sister ships Dauntless, Diamond, Dragon, Defender and now Duncan.

Principal guests at the commissioning ceremony included Lady Marie Ibbotson – the ship’s sponsor who launched the vessel at BAE Systems’ Govan shipyard on the River Clyde in October 2010 – and First Sea Lord Admiral Sir George Zambellas. Dignitaries from the ship’s affiliated cities of Belfast and Dundee and veterans from the last HMS Duncan – a Type 14 frigate in service between 1957 and 1985 – were also present.

Commander James Stride, Duncan’s Commanding Officer, said the event was a proud moment for all personnel serving on the ship:

The commissioning ceremony marks a major milestone in the life of HMS Duncan. We are delighted that it can be shared with so many distinguished guests, friends, family, affiliates and former Duncanites.

The hour-long ceremony was rounded off in traditional Royal Navy fashion with the cutting of a commissioning cake. Performing the honour was the commanding officer’s wife, Emma, along with the youngest member of the ship’s company, Logistician (Steward) Clancey Welford, aged 18.

The first 4 Type 45s have already experienced life on operational deployments and the fifth, HMS Defender, is due to deploy for the first time next year.

Now commissioned, HMS Duncan will continue an intense period of trials and training around the UK lasting well into next year before being ready to undertake operational tasking along with her sister ships around the globe.