The UK Royal Navy’s fifth Type 45 destroyer, HMS Defender, has successfully completed three weeks of sea trials off the coast of Scotland, UK.

The ship’s first sea trials were conducted to validate its speed, manoeuvrability, power and propulsion systems as well as weapons systems and sensors.

The advanced air-defence warship is capable of performing anti-piracy and anti-smuggling missions, disaster-relief work and surveillance operations as well as high-intensity war-fighting.

The Type 45 class destroyer possesses air-defence and anti-missile capabilities, and can carry 60 Royal Marines.

HMS Defender’s senior naval officer commander Nicholas Boyd said that the frigate will undergo a second set of trials in March 2012 and is scheduled to be operational from early 2013.