HMS Diamond (D34)

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For other ships with the same name, see HMS Diamond.

HMS Diamond 1.jpg
HMS Diamond in 2016
History
United Kingdom
NameHMS Diamond
OrderedDecember 2000
BuilderBAE Systems Surface Fleet Solutions
Yard number1063[4]
Laid down25 February 2005
Launched27 November 2007
Sponsored byLady Johns
Commissioned6 May 2011[5]
Identification
Motto
  • Honor clarissima gemma
  • ("Honour is the brightest jewel")
Nickname(s)"The Jewel in the Naval Crown"
StatusIn active service, as of 2021
BadgeDiamond Crest.JPG
General characteristics
Class and typeType 45 Guided missile destroyer
Displacement8,000[7] to 8,500 t (8,400 long tons; 9,400 short tons)[8][9][10]
Length152.4 m (500 ft 0 in)
Beam21.2 m (69 ft 7 in)
Draught7.4 m (24 ft 3 in)
Installed power
Propulsion
  • 2 shafts integrated electric propulsion with
  • 2 × Converteam electric motors, 20 MW (27,000 shp) each
SpeedIn excess of 30 kn (56 km/h; 35 mph)[6]
RangeIn excess of 7,000 nautical miles (13,000 km) at 18 kn (33 km/h)[6]
Complement191[12] (accommodation for up to 235)
Sensors and
processing systems
Electronic warfare
& decoys
Armament
Aircraft carried
  • 1–2 × Lynx Wildcat, armed with:
    • 4 × anti ship missiles, or
    • 2 × anti submarine torpedoes
  • or
  • 1 × Westland Merlin,[11] armed with:
    • 4 × anti-submarine torpedoes
Aviation facilities
  • Large flight deck
  • Enclosed hangar

HMS Diamond is the third ship of the Type 45 or Daring-class air-defence destroyers built for the Royal Navy. She was launched in 2007, completed her contractor's sea trials in July 2010 and arrived at her base port on 22 September 2010. Diamond was commissioned in a traditional ceremony on 6 May 2011, and formally entered service on 12 July 2011.[20][21]

Construction[]

Diamond's construction began at the BAE Systems Naval Ships yard at Govan on the River Clyde in February 2005. She was launched on 27 November 2007.[22]

Sea trials[]

By July 2010, Diamond had been fully fitted out and finished her contractors' sea trials (stage 1 trials). She arrived in her base port of HMNB Portsmouth on 22 September 2010.[23]

Operational service[]

Diamond operating with HMAS Melbourne in 2012

Diamond was commissioned in a traditional ceremony on 6 May 2011 in her home port of Portsmouth. The ceremony was attended by the ship's sponsor and the Commander-in-Chief Fleet Admiral Sir Trevor Soar.[24] Diamond continued undergoing sea trials until she entered operational service in July 2011 after the completion of her trials. The ship conducted operational training before commencing her first overseas deployment.[21] Diamond is commenced her deployment in the summer of 2012,[25] starting with celebrations to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.[26]

Diamond was in the Middle East Area of Operations in 2012. During Operation Recsyr in February 2014 she escorted MV Ark Futura carrying chemical agents from Syria.[citation needed]

On 8 May 2017, Diamond performed a demonstration firing of an Aster 30 off the coast of Scotland.[27]

On 4 September 2017, Diamond sailed for a 9-month deployment to the Middle East, initially scheduled to relieve HMS Monmouth,[28] she was instead diverted to take over as flagship of Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 from sister HMS Duncan when her intended relief, HMS Ocean was redeployed to provide relief to British Overseas Territories in the Caribbean in the wake of Hurricane Irma.[29] Diamond was relieved of her NATO duties upon the return of Ocean from the Caribbean on 30 October and resumed her planned deployment to relieve Monmouth.[30] However, on 23 November, The Times reported that Diamond was being forced to abandon her deployment and return to Portsmouth early due to mechanical issues, which was later confirmed by the Ministry of Defence.[31][32]

As of 10 April 2021, HMS Diamond Left Portsmouth to take the honour of Commemorating a 41-Gun Salute to Pay Respects and For The Passing of His Royal Highness Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh and has flown her flag at half-mast. One Minute of Shots fired intervals at 1:37 PM (Time on her twitter Post) or 1100 Hrs Military time GMT.[33][34]

In 2021, the ship initially deployed to the Far East as part of the UK carrier strike group centred on HMS Queen Elizabeth. However, she was compelled to detach from the group for repair in July due to reported "technical issues" likely linked to longstanding power and propulsion reliability issues with ships of the class.[35] Repairs were undertaken in Taranto, Italy and at the end of August Diamond returned to sea.[36]

Characteristics[]

Main article: Type 45 destroyer § Characteristics

Affiliations[]

Ship's sponsor[]

Official affiliations[]

Other[]

As part of her affiliation with Coventry, Diamond carries a cross of nails created from the remains of Coventry Cathedral. At the end of the Second World War a cross of nails was created out of the wreckage and has been presented to all ships that carry the name Coventry. It was recovered from the wreck of HMS Coventry by divers after she was sunk in the Falklands War and presented to the crew of Diamond on her commissioning by Captain David Hart-Dyke, the commanding officer of Coventry at the time of her sinking.[20]

The City of Sheffield was offered affiliation to Diamond, but this was turned down by Sheffield City Council and the Lord Mayor, who want the city associated with another HMS Sheffield.[38] The affiliation has now been transferred to the City of Coventry.[39][40]

Notes[]

  1. ^ The Harpoon missile is fitted on an as needed (and available) basis on up to four of the six ships. As of 2021, given the age of the system, a full complement of 8 Harpoons was less likely to be carried on any ships of the class.[15][16]

References[]

  1. ^ "Doff your caps to Diamond". Navy News. 8 October 2010. Archived from the original on 8 June 2011. Retrieved 23 May 2011.
  2. ^ "Call Sign Book" (PDF). Combined Communication Electronics Board. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 July 2011. Retrieved 8 October 2010.
  3. ^ "World Shipping Register - Ship Index". Archived from the original on 31 May 2011. Retrieved 12 July 2009.
  4. ^ "HMS Diamond". Clyde-built Ship Database. Archived from the original on 6 May 2006. Retrieved 21 June 2009.CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  5. ^ "HMS Diamond to join fleet". The News. 4 May 2011. Retrieved 6 May 2011.
  6. ^ Jump up to: a b "HMS Daring - Type 45 facts by Royal Navy.pdf". Retrieved 22 July 2016.
  7. ^ "Type 45 Destroyer". Royal Navy. Retrieved 6 November 2011.
  8. ^ "HMS Daring leaves Sydney after spectacular week of celebrations". Royal Navy. Retrieved 13 October 2013.
  9. ^ "For Queen and Country". Navy News (July 2012): Page 8. One hundred or so miles west of the largest city of Abidjan lies the fishing port of Sassandra, too small to accommodate 8,500-tonnes of Type 45.
  10. ^ "HMS Duncan joins US Carrier on strike operations against ISIL". Navy News. Royal Navy. 7 July 2015. Retrieved 9 July 2015. As well as supporting the international effort against the ISIL fundamentalists – the 8,500-tonne warship has also joined the wider security mission in the region.
  11. ^ "Air Defence Destroyer (T45)". Royal Navy. Archived from the original on 31 October 2007. Retrieved 20 November 2007.
  12. ^ Royal Navy (11 July 2013). A Global Force 2012/13 (PDF). Newsdesk Media. ISBN 978-1-906940-75-1. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 September 2018. Complement as of 24 April 2013
  13. ^ "Raytheon Press Release" (PDF). 8 March 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 March 2012. Retrieved 31 January 2008.
  14. ^ "Jane's Electro-Optic Systems". 28 October 2010. Retrieved 21 August 2011.
  15. ^ https://www.navylookout.com/contenders-for-the-royal-navys-interim-anti-ship-missile-requirement/
  16. ^ "HMS Duncan (D37)". Royal Navy.
  17. ^ "Fleet to get the latest in electronic surveillance" (PDF). DESider. Ministry of Defence. September 2012. p. 18. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 September 2012.
  18. ^ "UK to buy Shaman CESM for Seaseeker SIGINT programme". IHS Janes Defense. 29 June 2014.
  19. ^ "HMS Daring". Wärtsilä. Archived from the original on 28 October 2014. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
  20. ^ Jump up to: a b "Navy's newest ship will carry a poignant reminder of the past". Portsmouth News. 7 May 2011. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
  21. ^ Jump up to: a b "HMS Diamond enters service". Ministry of Defence. 12 July 2011. Retrieved 28 October 2014.
  22. ^ "Destroyer launches on Clyde". BBC. 27 November 2007. Retrieved 27 November 2007.
  23. ^ "Diamond Enters Portsmouth Naval Base for First Time". Royal Navy. 22 September 2010. Retrieved 24 September 2010.[dead link]
  24. ^ "HMS Diamond welcomed in Portsmouth with ceremony". BBC News. BBC. 6 May 2011. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
  25. ^ "HMS Diamond". Royal Navy. 2014. Retrieved 28 October 2014.
  26. ^ "HMS Diamond marks Jubilee with Portsmouth celebrations". BBC News. 1 June 2012. Retrieved 28 October 2014.
  27. ^ "HMS Diamond shows Type 45's potent firepower in high sea missile test". www.royalnavy.mod.uk. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
  28. ^ "HMS Diamond sails for the gulf for nine month operational deployment". Royal Navy. 2017. Retrieved 5 September 2017.
  29. ^ http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/defence/warship-to-help-with-hurricane-relief-operations-1-8143931[bare URL]
  30. ^ "HMS Ocean assumes NATO flagship role in the Mediterranean". Royal Navy. 2017. Retrieved 24 November 2017.
  31. ^ "HMS Diamond aborts Gulf mission after breaking down". The Times. 2017. Retrieved 24 November 2017.
  32. ^ Baldwin, Harriett (12 December 2017). "HMS Diamond:Written question - 117262". UK Parliament. Retrieved 12 December 2017.
  33. ^ "UK's HMS ships perform royal salute at sea". Republic World. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
  34. ^ Royal Navy ships fire at sea in honour of Prince Philip - BBC News, retrieved 12 April 2021
  35. ^ "Most of the Royal Navy's destroyers are unavailable for deployment". 21 July 2021.
  36. ^ @NavyLookout (1 September 2021). "Good news. @hmsdiamond sailed from Taranto