A high-tech British Type 45 destroyer broke down while on its way to participate in NATO wargames last Monday.
The HMS-Duncan, a 4,500-ton warship, had left its home port of Davenport on Sunday. The ship then broke down just off the Devon coast, on its way to rendezvous with other ships.
An electrical failure caused the ship’s propulsion system to fail, also rendering the craft’s weapon systems inoperative.
Type-45 destroyers cost over £1bn to manufacture, and they are intended to grant the Royal Navy superiority in naval warfare. They are equipped with state-of-the-art anti-air and anti-ship weaponry, but their Achilles Heel seems to be their integrated propulsion system.
There are currently six Type-45 destroyers deployed, all operating from Portsmouth. All are fitted with a brand new propulsion platform that has so far proved unreliable, as a break down means that the ship’s weapon systems do not work, turning the destroyer into a sitting duck.
The Type 45s were hailed as ‘revolutionary’ when they were first commissioned into service. The procurement process was approved on the basis that the ships would not require a refit for at least 25 years. However, the ongoing issues blighting the fleet means that a substantial investment is required to upgrade the propulsion system.
The failure became an embarrassment for the Royal Navy, as the billion-pound Duncan had to be towed back to port by a flotilla of tugboats.
A Royal Navy spokesperson said: “HMS Duncan experienced technical issues and will resume operations once a full assessment has taken place.”