HMS Daring Debuts in Kuwait

HMS Daring has made her debut in Kuwait on the latest stage of her inaugural deployment to the Gulf. Britain’s first Type 45 destroyer hosted a succession of officers attending Kuwaiti Staff College and who one day will be the senior commanders of military forces in half a dozen nations.

This is the port at Kuwait – the latest haven for HMS Daring on her debut deployment to the Gulf.

Fresh from exercising with not one but two US Navy carrier strike groups (the USS Carl Vinson and the Abraham Lincoln), Britain’s first Type 45 destroyer sailed into the emirate for the first time.

And once in the northern Gulf state, the Portsmouth-based warship embarked students from Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, South Korea and Oman who are attending the Kuwaiti Staff College.

The officers came from across the military spectrum – Navy, Army, Air Force and Coast Guards – ranging from F18 pilots to Army majors.

The course they’re currently attending is based on the UK Defence Academy’s Advanced Command and Staff Course, giving them the leadership and staff skills they will require to lead their respective forces in the future.

They were given a first-hand insight into what Daring can do with tours of all of the key weapon systems, her impression operations room, Lynx helicopter, spacious bridge, and sickbay, and they also received a boarding demonstration by the ship’s Royal Navy/Royal Marines boarding team.

That meant putting her sea boats in the water – courtesy of the impressive Thunderbirds-esque launch system which swings the vessels out of their stowage compartments.

CPO(AWT) Marie Marshall said:

“This is the first time for many non-navy personnel in a warship, so it was a real eye-opener.

“The students were all appreciative of the opportunity to visit Daring and there is a possible chance we may work with many of them in the future.”

Daring’s visit also allowed for several opportunities to strengthen the already good relationship with the Kuwaiti military and coastguard.

And on the sporting front, the destroyer’s rugby team took on the Kuwait Scorpions. In what was described as a ‘bruising encounter’ on a pitch known as the sandpit, the sailors and marines were beaten by the locals 29-14.

Their ship is now a little over two months into a seven-month east of Suez deployment under the Combined Maritime Forces on a wide-ranging maritime security – tackling piracy, smuggling, people-trafficking, terrorism and other criminal activities – as well as working with Coalition and regional allies.

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Naval Today Staff , March 27, 2012; Image: royalnavy