Naval ship paves way for an affiliation visit
The Royal Navys newest Type 45 Destroyer, HMS Defender, has sailed into her new home at HM Naval Base Portsmouth for the first time today (Wednesday). The 7,500 tonne vessel has been formally accepted by the Royal Navy from shipbuilder BAE Systems Maritime and will now undergo sea trials before being declared ready for operations in 2013. Armed with the world-leading Sea Viper missile defence system, HMS Defender is able to defend against multiple attacks from even the most sophisticated anti-ship missiles, approaching from any direction and at supersonic speeds.
ROYAL Navy warship Defender, the fifth of six Type 45 destroyers, will berth at Northumbria Quay in North Shields this weekend.
The visit is the ship’s first visit to a non-naval port.
Defender is due to be commissioned into the Royal Navy on March 21 at Portsmouth naval base, when she will become HMS Defender.
Her visit will be followed next week by the arrival into North Shields of sister ship HMS Dauntless.
Dauntless will be alongside for five days and unlike Defender, will be open to visit by the general public.
Defender has been undergoing a period of intensive trials and training off the south coast in preparation for future deployments.
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Weather for Whitley Bay
Wednesday 19 June 2013
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 9 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: West
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 10 C to 18 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: South east
