It's back to work for HMS Dauntless as she braves the grim weather and sets sail

Gale-force winds and torrential rain battered Portsmouth harbour this morning – but managing to dodge one of the squally showers, HMS Dauntless slipped her moorings and began her journey to the sea.

Supported by tugs fore and aft, the Type 45 destroyer took around 20 minutes to reach the harbour mouth.

Sailors could be seen near her bow, on the bridge wing and flight deck, many waving to the smattering of brave souls who'd come to see her off, despite the grim weather.

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Capable and lethal

The Royal Navy says the warship is continuing her sea training. Indeed, in June, HMS Dauntless returned to training serials after a period of maintenance.

Posting on X at the time, the ship said she was "regaining baseline capability and lethality".

HMS Dauntless has certainly been busy in the last 12 months.

In February, the ship sailed with the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle.

Prior to that, HMS Dauntless was a vital part of the UK's Carrier Strike Group 2025 on Operation Highmast, which culminated in four months in the Indo-Pacific.

And in April this year, she took part in Operation Sharpshooter off the Welsh coast, during which the warship managed to shoot down a swarm of drones in a live-fire exercise.