UK sending newest ship - HMS Daring, to Hormuz Gulf.

Britain is sending HMS Daring, its newest and most advanced ship, to the Persian Gulf for her first mission. The deployment comes amid heightened tensions with Iran over threats by Tehran to block the busy shipping lane in the Strait of Hormuz, defenceweb.co.za webcite reported.

The Type 45 destroyer HMS Daring is to join the British presence in the region, the Ministry of Defence confirmed to the British Forces Broadcasting Corporation.

Although the deployment of the high-tech vessel has been planned for more than a year, it comes as Britain and allies have issued clear warnings to Iran over its threats.

Defence Secretary Philip Hammond has warned the regime that any attempt to block the Strait of Hormuz would be "illegal and unsuccessful" and would be countered militarily if necessary.

Iran announced that the Revolutionary Guard would conduct naval exercises in the strait in February. The shipping lane is used by a third of the world's oil tanker traffic.

Tehran has suggested it could block the route if sanctions are imposed on its oil exports by western nations over its perceived ambitions to use its nuclear programme for military purposes.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said that, "The Royal Navy has had a continuous presence East of Suez for many years, including the Armilla patrol and its successors since 1980.

"While the newly-operational Type 45 destroyer HMS Daring is more capable than earlier ships, her deployment East of Suez has been long planned, is entirely routine and replaces a frigate on station."

HMS Daring completed four years of sea trials and training late last year. HMS Daring carried out various exercises as part of her final training, including hurricane disaster relief; evacuating civilians from a worsening international crisis; dealing with terrorist attacks; demonstrate that she can cope with an attack involving biological or chemical weapons; fighting off swarms of small attack craft at sea; and fending off an air attack.

The vessel, with a crew of 180, is the first to be built with a futuristic design that makes it difficult to detect using radar.

HMS Daring is the first of six new destroyers which will replace the Type 42 vessels which started service in the 1970s. Although half the class of six Type 45s have been declared operational, none have deployed yet as they have been undergoing either training, maintenance or enhancements (Daring herself has received additional firepower in the form of Phalanx automated Gatling guns.) 

The Type 45s are armed with high-tech Sea Viper anti-air missiles and will be able to carry 60 troops. They also have a large flight deck which can accommodate helicopters the size of a Chinook as well as take on board 700 people in the case of a civilian evacuation.

2012 will be the 'Year of the 45' with Daring, Dauntless and Diamond all earmarked to make their maiden deployments.

"I now have absolute confidence in my ship and her crew," said HMS Daring Commanding Officer Captain Guy Robinson after the conclusion of training late last year. "I have seen them face the challenges that may be expected of a warship which could be asked to operate anywhere across the globe.

"Recent events in the Mediterranean and Middle East demonstrate just how quickly a crisis can develop. Daring's versatility, reach and punch make her a very credible UK asset - and one that I am proud to command."

The UK originally sought to procure air defence ships as part of the eight-nation NFR-90 project and later the Horizon Common New Generation Frigate programme with France and Italy. The Type 45s take advantage of some Horizon development work and utilise the Sea Viper missile system (the SAMPSON radar variant of the Principal Anti-Air Missile System).

In an "intensive attack" a single Type 45 could simultaneously track, engage and destroy more targets than five Type 42 destroyers operating together. The Daring class are the largest escorts ever built for the Royal Navy in terms of displacement, at around 8 000 tonnes.

Originally a dozen ships were supposed to be bought but the number was halved in 2008, something that was hugely controversial.

The ships have a designed top speed of more than 27 knots and a range of more than 7 000 nautical miles.