HMS I??n D?k?, th? n?ti?n’s m?st ??v?nc?? ??i??t?, is ??ck ?t s?? ??? th? ?i?st tim? in m??? th?n ?iv? ????s. Th? T??? 23 ??i??t?, kn?wn ????cti?n?t?l? ?s th? I??n D?ck, s?il?? ???m Pl?m??th, s?????t?? ?? B??c?ck ?n?in???s wh? h?v? ???n w??kin? with th? shi?’s c??w t? ??t h?? ????? ??? s?? ?t th? int??n?ti?n?l ????nc? c?m??n?’s D?v?n???t ??cilit?. In ?ll, 1.7 milli?n h???s ?? l????? ???m shi?w?i?hts, ?n?in???s, t?chnici?ns ?n? ?x???ts ?? th? B??c?ck t??m, ?l?n?si?? th? R???l N?v?, c?nt?i??t?? t? th? ?i???st ?v??h??l ?? D?k?-cl?ss shi?s t? ??t? in th? li?? ?xt?nsi?n ??????mm?, incl??in? m?j?? st??ct???l w??k twic? th?t ?? ?n? ?th??.

G??? Sim?s?n, M?n??in? Di??ct?? ?? B??c?ck’s M??in? S?????t ??sin?ss, s?i?:“W?’?? ????? t? w??k ?l?n?si?? th? c??w ?? HMS I??n D?k? t? ????? h?? ??? h?? n?xt missi?n. O?? t??m h?s sh?wn ??l?ntl?ss c?mmitm?nt ?n? ??ssi?n t? ??t th? j?? ??n? ?n? t? ??liv?? si?ni?ic?nt ?nh?nc?m?nts t? th? shi? ??? th? m?n ?n? w?m?n wh? w??k s?l?l?ssl? t? k??? ??? c??nt?? s??? ?v??? ???. W? l??k ???w??? t? c?ntin?in? t? s?????t HMS I??n D?k?’s s?cc?ss in ??t??? ?????ti?ns ?n? t? st?n? ?l?n?si?? ??? R???l N?v? ???tn?? ?s w? s?????t th? T??? 23 li?? ?xt?nsi?ns ?? h?? ??ll?w D?k?-cl?ss shi?s.”

C?mm?n??? Ch??l?s Wh??n, HMS I??n D?k?’s C?mm?n?in? O??ic??, s?i?:“HMS I??n D?k? is ??ck ?t s?? ?n? ????? t? st??t ?n int?nsiv? t?i?ls ?n? t??inin? ??????mm?. Sh? is in ????t sh??? ??ll?win? th? ???it, with s?m? ?xcitin? n?w c????iliti?s, ?n? ??? ch?ll?n?? n?w is t? sh????n th?s? c????iliti?s ?n? t? ??st??? th? shi? t? ???nt-lin? ?????ti?ns in th? sh??t?st tim? ??ssi?l?.”

C??t?in St?v? L???? – DE&S T??? 23 St??t??ic Cl?ss A?th??it? T??m L?????:“HMS IRON DUKE’s ??t??n t? s?? ?t th? ?n? ?? ? 5-???? ???i?? ?l?n?si?? is ? ??m??k??l? ?chi?v?m?nt m??? ??ssi?l? ?? th? mix?? T??m ?? ??? in??st?i?l ???tn?? B??c?ck c?m?l?tin? th? U?k???, DE&S ???s?nn?l m?n??in? th? c?nt??ct ?n? R???l N?v? ???s?nn?l t?kin? th? shi? ??ck t? s?? in ???????ti?ns ??? ??t??? ?????ti?ns.”

M?lti?l? w??????, c?mm?nic?ti?n, n?vi??ti?n ?n? s?st?m ???????s h?v? ???n ?n???t?k?n t? ?ns??? sh? ??m?ins ?t th? c?ttin? ???? ?? n?v?l ?????ti?ns. IT s?st?ms ?n????? h?v? ???n ??v?m??? in lin? with t?chn?l??ic?l ??v?nc?m?nts ?n? livin? s??c?s h?v? ???n ????t?? t? s?it th? m????n s?il??. Th? w??k m??ns th?t th? v?ss?l, ??i?in?ll? int?n??? t? s??v? ??? 20 ????s sinc? ??si?n in th? 1970s ?n? ???l? 80s, c?n c?ntin?? t? ?n???t?k? ???nt-lin? ??ti?s ?ntil th? s?cc?ss??s ?? h?? cl?ss, th? T??? 26 ?n? 31 ??i??t?s, st??t t? ?nt?? s??vic? l?t?? this ??c???.Th? w??shi?, th? thi?? inc??n?ti?n ?? I??n D?k? c?mmissi?n?? in 1993 ??ll?win? h?? ?????c?ss??s ?? 1655 ?n? 1912, will n?w c?ntin?? ?i?????s s?? t?i?ls ?n? t?stin? t? ?ns??? sh? is ????? in ?ll ??s??cts ??? ?????ti?n?l t?skin? l?t?? in th? ????.