HMS Dauntless, the Royal Navy warship poised to affiliate with Great Yarmouth, performed side-by-side at sea with her sister ship HMS Daring for the first time on Monday.

HMS Dauntless, the Royal Navy warship poised to affiliate with Great Yarmouth, performed side-by-side at sea with her sister ship HMS Daring for the first time on Monday.

The Type 45 destroyers successfully completed complex manoeuvres south of the Isle of Wight sailing at high speeds and also putting their communications equipment to the test as a warm-up to intensive operational sea training later this year.

Captain Richard Powell, HMS Dauntless' commanding officer, said: “Today marks a significant step forward in the development of the Type 45 class. Conducting joint trials in this way will further enhance the potent capability of the Type 45. It also marks an important step in the delivery of the 21st century Navy.”

The Portsmouth-based ships worked together for two further days before continuing with their separate trials.

HMS Dauntless will be commissioned in June and is expected to enter operational service in 2011. Her affiliation to Yarmouth was expected to be officially agreed at a meeting of Great Yarmouth Borough Council last night.

It is hoped she will come “home” to the outer harbour for the first time in October when social events and pageantry are planned to cement the relationship.