Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Type 45 Destroyers have undergone work to upgrade their propulsion system through the Power Improvement Project; and when does he expect all Type 45s to have received that upgrade.

One Type 45 Destroyer, HMS DAUNTLESS, has undergone work under the Power Improvement Project (PIP). HMS DAUNTLESS is currently at the Cammell Laird shipyard in Birkenhead where equipment is being set to work following installation. The next phase of the programme will see HMS DAUNTLESS undertake a rigorous trials programme in harbour and subsequently at sea. It is expected that all six Type 45 Destroyers will have completed their PIP conversions by 2028.

The programme is dependent on the availability of ships to undertake the upgrade, balanced against the Royal Navy's current and future operational commitments. For these reasons we do not comment in detail on the future PIP timelines. PIP conversions are planned to take into account the regular Upkeep cycle to maximise overall class availability and meet the readiness profile required to meet Defence outputs.