HMS DEFENDER is the fifth of the Royal Navy's six state-of-the-art Type 45 (Daring Class) air-defence destroyers and the eighth RN ship to bear the name. Construction of DEFENDER began in 2006 and she was launched in 2009. She displaces 8,000 tonnes, has a top speed of 30+ knots and a ship’s company of around 220.  The ship completed her first sea trials in October–November 2011 and was commissioned in March 2013.  Our formal affiliation began with an exchange of illuminated manuscripts on 9 August 2012.  Her maiden deployment was to the Middle East for nine months from June 2014 during which time her CO and ship’s company were widely applauded and decorated for showing exemplary operational capability while working with the USS George HW Bush Carrier Task Group.  In following years she returned to the Gulf for further highly successful deployments.  In 2021 she was a key member of the UK Carrier Task Group deployment to the far East.  During this period, whilst detached independently to the Black Sea, she made headline news while dodging the close attentions of the Russian Navy around Crimea.  2022 has seen her operating in the Far North of Norway, the Baltic with the Swedish and Finnish Navies and then escorting HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH on operations.

The Fletchers enjoy a very close and fruitful association with DEFENDER.  We make an annual award of a silver prize arrow to the crewmember who has made the best contribution towards the ship’s operations in the past year.  The Worshipful Company also supports the ship when deployed with welfare packages and contributions towards Christmas celebrations.  In return, the ship has hosted numerous harbour and sea visits including, on one occasion, passage through the Mediterranean for two very lucky liverymen. 

Fletchers visit to HMS DEFENDER 25 Aug 2022.

Further information including news on DEFENDER can be obtained from the Ministry of Defence website as linked here.