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Destroyer Warships: Everything You Need To Know

The entire fleet of the Royal Navy's most powerful warships is currently in port and not on operations.

The six £1bn Type 45 Destroyers are docked in Portsmouth, packed with the latest in air warfare technology.

Here is everything you need to know about them:

What Are The Type 45 Destroyers Used For?

:: The Type 45 Destroyers are "part of the backbone" of the Royal Navy

:: Primarily designed for an air defence role, to protect the fleet from an air attack

:: Also committed to the seas across the globe 365 days a year, hunting pirates and drug runners, as well as detecting submarines

:: Ferrying humanitarian aid to where it is needed

What Are The Destroyers' Capabilities?

:: Their advanced radars are capable of scanning the skies to detect and engage enemy aircraft

:: The MK8 Gun, found on the forecastle of all destroyers, can fire up to two dozen high explosive shells, per minute, at targets more than a dozen miles away

:: The Phalanx is a radar-controlled Gatling gun which fires 20mm shells, some 3,000 rounds a minute

:: The Sea Viper, the warship's principal anti-air missile, can defend against all aerial threats 70 miles away, racing towards its target at a speed of more than 3,000mph, carrying out sharp turns at G forces no human could endure

Destroyers In Numbers

:: Six in total

:: Worth £1bn each

:: Around 152 metres in length

:: Weigh 8,000 tonnes

:: 21.2 metres beam length

Type 45 Destroyer Names

:: They all begin with D - HMS Daring, HMS Dauntless, HMS Diamond, HMS Defender, HMS Dragon, HMS Duncan

Why Are They All In Port?

:: A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: "All Type 45 Destroyers are currently in port as they have either just returned from operations, or are about to be deployed, are conducting training or carrying out maintenance or are home for crew to take summer leave."

Does this leave the UK exposed?

:: All six ships need to be refitted with new engines after some of them broke down

:: This work is due to begin in 2019 and the MoD has guaranteed it will not affect operational capabilities

:: Maritime strategist, Professor Eric Grove, told Sky News: "There are maintenance problems and these have to be solved. It is true that in summer ships do come home. There is a families day for Diamond, which I think is fully operational. Duncan I think is at a dry dock, Dauntless is the static training ship. The others are probably operational at relatively short notice. But yes, it isn't good. These ships should be at sea."