HMS Defender
By James Donahue
Among the newly launched ships in the British Royal Navy the Defender is a Daring-Class air-defense destroyer. While all of the odd attachments somewhat destroy the sleek lines of a naval sailing ship this vessel is loaded with the most modern weapons of war.
Well hidden is its flight deck and its aircraft armed with anti submarine torpedoes, its various guns, missile launchers, harpoon guns and torpedo defense system. Tucked away in some of that odd shaped upper deck is the very latest in surveillance equipment, giving the ship the ability to fire with accuracy at enemy ships and coastal targets from beyond the horizon.
The Defender was designed to assist in coastal attacks and as a defender of naval ships at sea. It can attack surface vessels, aircraft and submarines with deadly accuracy.
All of this is packed inside the ship's 500-foot hull. It is operated by a crew of at least 191.
It is powered by two Rolls-Royce gas turbines and two Wartsila 12 volt diesel generators and can reach speeds of 35 miles per hour.
Constructed at the Glasgow shipyard in 2009, the Defender was commissioned in 2013 and is now under the command of Commander Phil Nash.
Defender is a deadly warship that we hope will never be used in warfare at sea. Its presence, however, may help insure this never happens.
By James Donahue
Among the newly launched ships in the British Royal Navy the Defender is a Daring-Class air-defense destroyer. While all of the odd attachments somewhat destroy the sleek lines of a naval sailing ship this vessel is loaded with the most modern weapons of war.
Well hidden is its flight deck and its aircraft armed with anti submarine torpedoes, its various guns, missile launchers, harpoon guns and torpedo defense system. Tucked away in some of that odd shaped upper deck is the very latest in surveillance equipment, giving the ship the ability to fire with accuracy at enemy ships and coastal targets from beyond the horizon.
The Defender was designed to assist in coastal attacks and as a defender of naval ships at sea. It can attack surface vessels, aircraft and submarines with deadly accuracy.
All of this is packed inside the ship's 500-foot hull. It is operated by a crew of at least 191.
It is powered by two Rolls-Royce gas turbines and two Wartsila 12 volt diesel generators and can reach speeds of 35 miles per hour.
Constructed at the Glasgow shipyard in 2009, the Defender was commissioned in 2013 and is now under the command of Commander Phil Nash.
Defender is a deadly warship that we hope will never be used in warfare at sea. Its presence, however, may help insure this never happens.