HMS Defender welcomed the arrival of the remainder of her Ship’s Company, commonly known as Tranche 3 personnel, on Tuesday 29th May as she moves every closer to entry into the Fleet.
On this significant day for the fifth T45 destroyer, 66 new joiners received their HMS Defender Cap tallies from their new CO, Commander Phil Nash Royal Navy, bringing the total compliment of personnel to 173.
The new joiners will undertake an intensive training package for the next 2 months to make sure they are fully trained and ready to operate ship once she is delivered to Portsmouth at the end of July.
Commander Phil Nash said:
“This is great day for HMS Defender – our ship is at the cutting edge of technology, but it is the men and women who operate it that make it so capable and flexible. They are the lifeblood of the ship and their arrival marks another important mile stone in HMS Defender’s generation, a journey that takes us from ship in build to operational warship.
I look forward now to completing the final elements of training that will ensure my Ship’s Company are ready in all respects to take custody of Defender in July on her arrival in Portsmouth.”
The training package that awaits them includes Firefighting, Force Protection, Fitness Training, Damage Control, Sea survival and Type 45 Ship’s General Knowledge. They will all also spend a week onboard HMS Defender in the BAE Shipyard in Scotstoun, Glasgow. This will be the first taste of a brand new Type 45 Destroyer for most of the new joiners.
[mappress] Naval Today Staff, June 26, 2012; Image: Royal Navy