Royal Navy warship fires up iPods

All cabins on HMS Daring are equipped with iPod charging sockets

The Royal Navy's latest warship now includes iPod chargers along with its high-tech arsenal of guns and rockets.

HMS Daring, a Type 45 destroyer launched by the Countess of Wessex last week, is the most high-tech naval ship in British history.

In addition to stealth technology and radar so precise it can track targets travelling at three times the speed of sound, all cabins are equipped with iPod charging sockets.

"All the ship's cabins come with connections for charging your iPods," confirmed a Ministry of Defence spokesman.

"They also have internet access, although for security reasons I'd assume this is a wired rather than wireless connection."

In addition to charging up their music players crew members will also have a CD player and five-channel audio entertainment system.

"HMS Daring is the most powerful destroyer the UK has ever built," said Secretary of State for Defence John Reid.

"The launch of this first Type 45 is a milestone in the development of the Royal Navy of the future. It is proof that the government gives our sailors the tools they need to do their job now and in the future."

The new ship is one of six new warships planned to become operational in 2009. The others, HMS Dauntless, Diamond, Defender, Dragon and Duncan, will be launched over the next two years.