The Royal Navy's most modern warships will need to have holes cut in their sides to fit them with new engines because they keep breaking down. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has confirmed that the six Type 45 destroyers are to undergo major refits amid concerns over their reliability. The work will be staggered over a period of years so some ships remain available for operational commitments at all times. The move follows reports of persistent problems with the engines and power systems on the ships which cost £1 billion each. In 2014, HMS Dauntless had to abandon a training exercise and in 2009 HMS Daring lost power in the Atlantic on her first voyage to the US. Each of the ships, which are described as "part of the backbone of the Royal Navy", are fitted with two engines - a gas turbine and a diesel generator. A Royal Navy source said the most likely action will be to add as many as two generators to "bolster the power that's already there". He accepted that carrying out such maintenance just a few years into the ships' service was not "normal". He said: "It is an issue, we're managing it at the moment but we need to do something about it." The MoD has not disclosed the cost of...
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