This is a list of destroyer

Destroyer

In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...

 classes

Ship class

A ship class is a group of ships of a similar design. This is distinct from a ship-type, which might reflect a similarity of tonnage or intended use. For example, the is a nuclear aircraft carrier of the Nimitz class....

 of the Royal Navy

Royal Navy

The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...

of the United Kingdom

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

, organised chronologically by entry into service.

For further information on naming conventions, please see the article naming conventions for destroyers of the Royal Navy

Naming conventions for destroyers of the Royal Navy

The first Torpedo Boat Destroyer in the Royal Navy was HMS Havock of 1893. From 1906, the term "Torpedo Boat Destroyer" began to appear in the shortened form "Destroyer" when referring to Destroyer Flotillas...

Torpedo Boat Destroyers

In 1913, the surviving members of the large heterogeneous array of older 27-knot and 30-knot Torpedo Boat Destroyer types (all six of the original 26-knot ships had been disposed of by the end of 1912) were organised into the A, B, C and D classes according to their design speed and the number of funnels they possessed. All were of a turtleback design and, excepting a few "builder's specials", powered by reciprocating engines

Steam engine

A steam engine is a heat engine that performs mechanical work using steam as its working fluid.Steam engines are external combustion engines, where the working fluid is separate from the combustion products. Non-combustion heat sources such as solar power, nuclear power or geothermal energy may be...

. It should be stressed that these classes did not exist before 1913, and only applied to those "turtle-backed" destroyers surviving to that time.

• A class
  A class destroyer (1913)
  The A class as designated in 1913 was a heterogeneous group of torpedo boat destroyers built for the Royal Navy in the mid-1890s. Some 42 vessels were constructed to the individual designs of their builders to meet Admiralty specifications, the only uniting feature being a specified top speed of...
  
  ; (26-knot and 27-knot classes)
• "26-knotter" type
  • Daring class — 2 ships, 1893–1894
  • Havock class
    Havock class destroyer
    The Havock class was a class of torpedo boat destroyer of the British Royal Navy. The two ships, and , built in London in 1893 by Yarrow & Company, were the first TBDs to be completed for the Royal Navy, although the equivalent pair from J.I...
    
     — 2 ships, 1893
  • Ferret class
    Ferret class destroyer
    -See also:* List of destroyer classes of the Royal Navy...
    
     — 2 ships, 1893–1894
• "27-knotter" type
  • Ardent class — 3 ships, 1894–1895
  • Charger class
    Charger class destroyer
    Three Charger-class destroyers served with the Royal Navy. , and were built by Yarrow Shipbuilders and armed with one twelve pounder gun and two torpedo tubes. They were given new boilers in 1900/01. They carried a complement of 53 officers and men....
    
     — 3 ships, 1894
  • Hardy class
    Hardy class destroyer
    Two Hardy class destroyers served with the Royal Navy. and were both built by Doxford with Yarrow boilers. They displaced 260 tons, were 196 feet long and were armed with one twelve pounder gun and two torpedo tubes. They carried 53 officers and men and served in home waters before being sold...
    
     — 2 ships, 1895
  • Janus class
    Janus class destroyer
    Three Janus class destroyers served with the Royal Navy. , and were launched by Palmer's shipyard. They displaced 275 tons, were 200 feet long and produced 3,900 hp from their Reed boilers which gave them a top speed of 27 knots....
    
     — 3 ships, 1895
  • Salmon class
    Salmon class destroyer
    The Salmon class were two destroyers built by Earle's to an Admiralty specification for service with the Royal Navy.The specification called for a torpedo boat destroyer capable of 27 knots; the builders were largely free to design as necessary. A total of 42 ships would be provided by various...
    
     — 2 ships, 1895
  • Banshee class
    Banshee class destroyer
    The 'Banshee class was a class of three torpedo boat destroyers that served with the Royal Navy into the early part of the Twentieth century....
    
     — 3 ships, 1894
  • Fervent class
    Fervent class destroyer
    Two Fervent class destroyers served with the Royal Navy. and were designed and built by Hanna Donald in 1895. The ships displaced 275 tons and were 200 feet long. Their Locomotive boilers generated 3,850 hp which produced a top speed of between 26 and 27 knots...
    
     — 2 ships, 1895
  • Conflict class
    Conflict class destroyer
    Three Conflict class destroyers served with the Royal Navy. There were built by the White Shipyard. , , and were 200 feet long, displaced 320 tons and produced 4,500 H.P. from their White-Forster boilers to give them a top speed of 27 knots...
    
     — 3 ships, 1894–1895
  • Handy class
    Handy class destroyer
    Three Handy class destroyers served with the Royal Navy. , and were all built by Fairfield. The ships displaced 275 tons, were 194 feet long and their 4,000 h.p. Thornycroft boilers produced 27 knots. They were armed with one twelve pounder and two torpedo tubes. They carried a complement of...
    
     — 3 ships, 1895
  • Sunfish class
    Sunfish class destroyer
    Three Sunfish-class destroyers served with the Royal Navy. , and were all built by the Hebburn-on-Tyne shipyard of Hawthorn Leslie. Ordered under the 1893-94 Programme, the contract was placed on 7 February 1894. All three "turtle-back" destroyers were laid down in 1894, launched in 1895 and...
    
     — 3 ships, 1895
  • Rocket class
    Rocket class destroyer
    Three Rocket class destroyers served with the Royal Navy. , and were launched at Clydebank in 1894. The ships displaced 280 tons, were 200 feet long and their Normand boilers produced 4,100 H.P. to give a top speed of 27 knots. They were armed with one twelve pounder and two torpedo tubes. ...
    
     — 3 ships, 1894
  • Sturgeon class
    Sturgeon class destroyer
    Three Sturgeon-class destroyers served with the Royal Navy. , and were built by the Vickers yard and differed from other similar ships in having their mast stepped before the first funnel. They had Blechynden boilers which gave them 4,000 HP and 27 knots. They were armed with one twelve pounder...
    
     — 3 ships, 1894–1895
  • Swordfish class
    Swordfish class destroyer
    Two Swordfish class destroyers served with the Royal Navy. and were both built by Armstrong Whitworth at Elswick, Tyne and Wear launching in 1895. Fitted with Yarrow boilers, they could make 27 knots and were armed with one twelve pounder and two torpedo tubes....
    
     — 2 ships, 1895
  • Zebra class
    Zebra class destroyer
    Only one Zebra class destroyer, , served with the Royal Navy. She was built by the Thames Ironworks, displaced 310 tons and was 200 feet long. She was armed, as was common with ships of her type, with a twelve pounder and two torpedo tubes. Her White-Forster boilers produced 4,500 h.p...
    
     — 1 ship, 1895

• B class
  B class destroyer (1913)
  The B class as designated in 1913 was a heterogeneous group of torpedo boat destroyers built for the Royal Navy in the late 1890s. They were constructed to the individual designs of their builders to meet Admiralty specifications, the uniting feature being a specified top speed of and 4 funnels,...
  
  (4-funnelled, 30-knot classes)
  • Quail class
    Quail class destroyer
    Four Quail-class destroyers served with the Royal Navy. These ships were all built by Laird, Son & Co. and were the first of the 'thirty knotters'....
    
     — 4 ships, 1895
  • Earnest class
    Earnest class destroyer
    Six Earnest-class destroyers served with the Royal Navy: Earnest, Griffon, Locust, Panther, Seal and Wolf. These ships were all built by Cammell Laird and were part of the class of 'thirty knotters'....
    
     — 6 ships, 1896–1897
  • Spiteful class
    Spiteful class destroyer
    Two Spiteful class destroyers served with the Royal Navy. These ships were all built by Cammell Laird and were part of the group of boats known as the 'thirty knotters'....
    
     — 2 ships, 1899
  • Myrmidon class
    Myrmidon class destroyer
    The Myrmidon class destroyer was a class of two destroyers that served with the Royal Navy. and were built by Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company as part of the group of boats known as the 'thirty knotters'....
    
     — 2 ships, 1900

• C class
  C class destroyer (1913)
  The C class as designated in 1913 was a heterogeneous group of torpedo boat destroyers built for the Royal Navy in the late-1890s. They were constructed to the individual designs of their builders to meet Admiralty specifications. The uniting feature of the class was a top speed of 30 knots, a...
  
  (3-funnelled, 30-knot classes)
  • Star class
    Star class destroyer
    The Star-class destroyer was a class of eight destroyers that served in the Royal Navy: , , , , , , and , were all three-funnelled C-class destroyers, as designated in the reorganisation of classes in 1913...
    
     — 6 ships, 1896–1897
  • Avon class
    Avon class destroyer
    Avon-class destroyer was a class of three destroyers that served in the Royal Navy. These three funnelled 30 knot vessels were redesignated C-class destroyers in the reorganisation of 1913....
    
     — 3 ships, 1896–1897
  • Brazen class
    Brazen class destroyer
    The Brazen class formed part of a general class of forty turtleback destroyers capable of 30 knots built around the end of the 19th and the start of the 20th century for the Royal Navy....
    
     — 4 ships, 1896–1898
  • Violet class
    Violet class destroyer
    Violet class destroyer was a 'class' of two destroyers that served in the Royal Navy.Violet and Sylvia were built by Doxford and sons in Sunderland. They were fitted with Thornycroft boilers which generated 6,300 HP and produced the demanded of these three funnelled C-class destroyers...
    
     — 2 ships, 1897
  • Mermaid class
    Mermaid class destroyer
    Two Mermaid-class destroyers served with the Royal Navy during the First World War. They were three-funnelled turtle-backed destroyers with the usual Hawthorn funnel tops. Built in 1896–1898, and were launched by R. & W...
    
     — 2 ships, 1897–1898
  • Gipsy class
    Gipsy class destroyer
    Three Gipsy-class destroyers served with the Royal Navy; Osprey, Fairy and Gipsy were three funnelled C-class destroyers built by Fairfield with Thorneycroft boilers. Leven, Falcon and Ostrich are sometime referred to as the Falcon class but are here listed under the Gipsy class...
    
     — 3 ships, 1897
  • Bullfinch class
    Bullfinch class destroyer
    Two Bullfinch-class destroyers served with the British Royal Navy; and were both built by Earle's Shipbuilding company in Hull in 1898. They were 345-ton class C-class destroyers, sporting three funnels, and capable of a speed of , thanks to their Thornycroft boilers. They were 210 feet long,...
    
     — 3 ships, 1898
  • Fawn class — 6 ships, 1897–1899
  • Falcon class — 2 ships, 1899–1900
  • Greyhound class
    Greyhound class destroyer
    Three Greyhound class destroyers served with the Royal Navy during the First World War. Built in 1899–1902, , and were three-funnelled turtle-backed destroyers, with the usual Hawthorn funnel tops, built by R. & W...
    
     — 3 ships, 1900–1901
  • Thorn class — 3 ships, purchased 1901
  • Hawthorn special type — 2 ships, 1899, steam turbine
    Steam turbine
    A steam turbine is a mechanical device that extracts thermal energy from pressurized steam, and converts it into rotary motion. Its modern manifestation was invented by Sir Charles Parsons in 1884....
    
     specials
  • Thornycroft special — 1 ship, 1898
  • Armstrong-Whitworth special, — 1 ship, 1900

• D class
  D class destroyer (1913)
  The D class as so named in 1913 was a heterogeneous group of torpedo boat destroyers built for the Royal Navy in the mid-1890s. They were all constructed to the individual designs of their builder, John I. Thornycroft & Company of Chiswick, to meet Admiralty specifications...
  
  ; (2-funnelled, 30-knot classes) Unlike the A, B and C classes, the D class comprised a series of similar ships built by one contractor (Thornycroft), although there were small variations between the batches ordered in each year.
  • 1893-94 Programme — 4 ships, 1896
  • 1894-95 Programme — 2 ships, 1897
  • 1895-96 Programme — 3 ships, 1897–1898
  • 1896-97 Programme (special type) — 1 ship, 1899

• Taku type
  HMS Taku
  Two vessels of the Royal Navy have borne the name HMS Taku after the Taku forts in China.* The first Taku was a captured destroyer. Originally built by Schichau at Elbing for the Chinese Navy in 1898, she displaced 305 tons, had a speed of , and was armed with six 3-pounder guns and two torpedo...
  
   — 1 ship, 1900, ex-Chinese prize

Conventional destroyers

In 1913, lettered names were given to all Royal Navy destroyers, previously known after the first ship of that class. The River or E class of 1913 were the first destroyers of the Royal Navy with a recognisable modern configuration.

• River or E class
  River class destroyer
  The River-class destroyer was a heterogeneous class of torpedo boat destroyer built to assorted builders' designs for the Royal Navy at the turn of the 20th century, which saw extensive service in World War I...
  
   — 33 ships, 1903–1905
• Tribal or F class
  Tribal class destroyer (1905)
  The Tribal or F class was a class of destroyer built for the Royal Navy. Twelve ships were built between 1905 and 1908 and all saw service during World War I, where they saw action in the North Sea and English Channel as part of the 6th Flotilla and Dover Patrols.-Design:The preceding River or E...
  
   — 13 ships, 1907–1909
• Beagle or G class
  Beagle class destroyer
  The Beagle class was a class of sixteen destroyers of the Royal Navy, all ordered under the 1908-1909 Programme and launched in 1909 and 1910...
  
   — 16 ships, 1909–1910
• Acorn or H class
  Acorn class destroyer
  The Acorn class was a class of twenty destroyers of the Royal Navy all built under the 1909-1910 Programme, and completed between 1910 and 1911...
  
   — 20 ships, 1910–1911
• Acheron or I class
  Acheron class destroyer
  The Acheron class was a class of twenty-three destroyers of the British Royal Navy, all built under the 1910-11 Programme and completed between 1911 and 1912, which served during World War I. A further six ships were built to the same design for the Royal Australian Navy as River-class destroyers...
  
   — 23 ships, 1910–1915
• Acasta or K class
  Acasta class destroyer
  The Acasta class was a class of twenty destroyers built for the Royal Navy under the Naval Programme of 1911 - 1912 that saw service during World War I...
  
   — 20 ships, 1912–1913
• Swift type
  HMS Swift (1907)
  HMS Swift was a unique destroyer leader designed and built for the Royal Navy prior to World War I, another product of Admiral "Jackie" Fisher's relentless quest for speed...
  
   — 1 ship, 1907, large leader prototype
• Laforey or L class
  Laforey class destroyer (1913)
  The Laforey class was a class of 22 torpedo boat destroyers of the Royal Navy, twenty of which were built under the Naval Programme of 1912 - 1913 and a further two under the War Emergency Programme of 1914. As such they were the last pre-war British destroyer design. All served during World War I...
  
   — 22 ships, 1913–1915
• Arno type
  HMS Arno (1915)
  HMS Arno was a unique destroyer of the Royal Navy that saw service and was lost during First World War. She was under construction in Genoa, Italy for the friendly Portuguese Navy as Liz in 1914 when she was bought by the Royal Navy for service in the Mediterranean...
  
   — 1 ship, 1914, ex-Portuguese purchase
• Admiralty M class
  Admiralty M class destroyer
  The M class, more properly known as the Admiralty M class, were a class of 85 destroyers built for the Royal Navy that saw service during World War I...
  
   — 74 ships, 1914–1917
• Hawthorn M class — 2 ships, 1915
• Yarrow M class
  Yarrow M class destroyer
  The Yarrow M class was a class of ten destroyers built for the Royal Navy that saw service during World War I. They were generally similar to the standard Admiralty M class, but were instead designed by the builder, Yarrow & Company. Generally, they had two instead of three shafts, as well as two...
  
   — 10 ships, 1914–1916
• Thornycroft M class
  Thornycroft M class destroyer
  The Thornycroft M or Mastiff class were a class of six destroyers completed for the Royal Navy during 1914-16 for World War I service. They were quite different from the Admiralty-designed ships of the Admiralty M class class, although based on a basic sketch layout provided by the Admiralty from...
  
   — 6 ships, 1914–1916
• Talisman class
  Talisman class destroyer
  The Talisman class were a class of destroyers that were being built for the Turkish Navy at the outbreak of World War I but were taken over in November 1914 and completed for the Royal Navy for wartime service...
  
   — 4 ships, 1914–1916, ex-Turkish purchases
• Medea class
  Medea class destroyer
  The Medea class were a class of destroyers that were being built for the Greek Navy at the outbreak of World War I and that were taken over and completed for the Royal Navy for wartime service. All were named after characters from Greek mythology as result of their Greek heritage.The Medeas were a...
  
    — 4 ships, 1915, ex-Greek purchases
• Faulknor class leader
  Faulknor class leader
  The Faulknor class were a class of flotilla leaders that were under construction in the United Kingdom for the Chilean Navy at the outbreak of World War I. These ships were purchased by the British, taken over and completed for the Royal Navy for wartime service...
  
   — 4 ships, 1914, ex-Chilean purchases
• Marksman class leader
  Marksman class leader
  The Marksman class were a class of flotilla leaders built for the Royal Navy. Two each were ordered in the naval programmes of 1913–14 and 1914–15 with a further three being ordered under the Emergency War Programme and all saw service during World War I.Like other British flotilla leader designs,...
  
   — 7 ships, 1915–1916
• Parker class leader — 6 ships, 1916–1917
• Admiralty R class
  R class destroyer (1916)
  The first R class were a class of 62 destroyers built between 1916 and 1917 for the Royal Navy. They were an improvement, specifically in the area of fuel economy, of the earlier M-class destroyers...
  
   — 39 ships, 1916–1917
• Yarrow Later M class
  Yarrow Later M class destroyer
  The Yarrow Later M class were a class of seven destroyers built for the Royal Navy that saw service during World War I. They were based on the preceding and successful Yarrow M class with minor alterations; notably reduced beam to compensate for increased displacement and a sloping stern...
  
   — 7 ships, 1916–1917
• Thornycroft R class
  R class destroyer (1916)
  The first R class were a class of 62 destroyers built between 1916 and 1917 for the Royal Navy. They were an improvement, specifically in the area of fuel economy, of the earlier M-class destroyers...
  
   — 5 ships, 1916–1917
• Admiralty modified R class
  R class destroyer (1916)
  The first R class were a class of 62 destroyers built between 1916 and 1917 for the Royal Navy. They were an improvement, specifically in the area of fuel economy, of the earlier M-class destroyers...
  
   — 11 ships, 1916–1917
• Admiralty S class
  S class destroyer (1916)
  The S class were a class of 67 destroyers built from 1917 for the Royal Navy. The design was based on the Admiralty modified R class and all ships had names beginning with S or T....
  
   — 55 ships, 1916–1924
• Yarrow S class
  S class destroyer (1916)
  The S class were a class of 67 destroyers built from 1917 for the Royal Navy. The design was based on the Admiralty modified R class and all ships had names beginning with S or T....
  
   — 7 ships, 1917–1919
• Thornycroft S class
  S class destroyer (1916)
  The S class were a class of 67 destroyers built from 1917 for the Royal Navy. The design was based on the Admiralty modified R class and all ships had names beginning with S or T....
  
   — 5 ships, 1917–1919
• Admiralty V class
  V and W class destroyer
  The V and W class was an amalgam of six similar classes of destroyer built for the Royal Navy under the War Emergency Programme of the First World War and generally treated as one class...
  
   — 28 ships, 1916–1918
• Admiralty W class
  V and W class destroyer
  The V and W class was an amalgam of six similar classes of destroyer built for the Royal Navy under the War Emergency Programme of the First World War and generally treated as one class...
  
   — 19 ships, 1916–1918
• Thornycroft V and W class
  V and W class destroyer
  The V and W class was an amalgam of six similar classes of destroyer built for the Royal Navy under the War Emergency Programme of the First World War and generally treated as one class...
  
   — 4 ships, 1918
• Thornycroft modified W class
  V and W class destroyer
  The V and W class was an amalgam of six similar classes of destroyer built for the Royal Navy under the War Emergency Programme of the First World War and generally treated as one class...
  
   — 2 ships, 1918–1924
• Admiralty modified W class
  V and W class destroyer
  The V and W class was an amalgam of six similar classes of destroyer built for the Royal Navy under the War Emergency Programme of the First World War and generally treated as one class...
  
   — 15 ships, 1918–1922
• Admiralty type leader
  Admiralty type leader
  The Admiralty type leader, sometimes known as the Scott class, were a class of eight destroyer leaders designed and built for the Royal Navy towards the end of World War I. They were named after Scottish historical leaders...
  
   — 8 ships, 1917–1919
• Thornycroft type leader or Shakespeare class
  Thornycroft type leader
  The Thornycroft type leader or Shakespeare class were a class of five destroyer leaders designed by John I. Thornycroft & Company and built by them at Woolston, Southampton for the Royal Navy towards the end of World War I. They were named after historical naval leaders. Only Shakespeare and...
  
   — 5 ships, 1917–1921

• Inter-war standard classes
• Ambuscade type
  HMS Ambuscade (D38)
  HMS Ambuscade was a British Royal Navy destroyer which served in the Second World War. She and her Thornycroft competitor, Amazon, were prototypes designed to exploit advances in construction and machinery since World War I and formed the basis of Royal Navy destroyer evolution up to the Tribal...
  
   — 1 ship, 1926, Yarrow prototype of new design.
• Amazon type
  HMS Amazon (D39)
  HMS Amazon was a prototype design of destroyer ordered for the Royal Navy in 1924. She was designed and built by Thornycroft in response to an admiralty request for a new design of destroyer incorporating the lessons and technological advances of the First World War...
  
   — 1 ship, 1926, Thornycroft prototype of new design.
  • A class
    A class destroyer
    The A class was a flotilla of eight destroyers built for the Royal Navy as part of the 1927 naval programme. A ninth ship, Codrington, was built to an enlarged design to act as the flotilla leader...
    
     — 9 ships, 1928–1931
  • B class
    B class destroyer
    The B class was a class of nine destroyers of the British Royal Navy, ordered as part of the 1928 Naval Estimates, launched in 1930 and that commissioned in 1931. The class was similar to the preceding A class, with minor modifications...
    
     — 9 ships, 1929–1931
  • C class
    C and D class destroyer
    The C and D class was a group of 14 destroyers built for the Royal Navy in the early 1930s. As in previous years, it was originally intended to order a complete flotilla comprising eight destroyers—plus a flotilla leader as the ninth unit—in each year. However, only four ships—plus a leader—were...
    
     — 5 ships, 1930–1934
  • D class
    C and D class destroyer
    The C and D class was a group of 14 destroyers built for the Royal Navy in the early 1930s. As in previous years, it was originally intended to order a complete flotilla comprising eight destroyers—plus a flotilla leader as the ninth unit—in each year. However, only four ships—plus a leader—were...
    
     — 9 ships, 1931–1933
  • E class
    E and F class destroyer
    The E and F class was a class of 18 destroyers of the Royal Navy that served during the Second World War. Three ships were later transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy, one to the Royal Hellenic Navy and one to the Dominican Navy. Launched in 1934, they served in the Second World War. Nine were lost...
    
     — 9 ships, 1933–1934
  • F class
    E and F class destroyer
    The E and F class was a class of 18 destroyers of the Royal Navy that served during the Second World War. Three ships were later transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy, one to the Royal Hellenic Navy and one to the Dominican Navy. Launched in 1934, they served in the Second World War. Nine were lost...
    
     — 9 ships, 1933–1935
  • G class
    G and H class destroyer
    The G- and H-class destroyers were a class of twenty-four destroyers of the Royal Navy launched in 1935–1939. They served in World War II and sixteen were lost, with a seventeenth being written off as a constructive total loss...
    
     — 9 ships, 1934–1936
  • H class
    G and H class destroyer
    The G- and H-class destroyers were a class of twenty-four destroyers of the Royal Navy launched in 1935–1939. They served in World War II and sixteen were lost, with a seventeenth being written off as a constructive total loss...
    
     — 9 ships, 1935–1937
    • ex-Brazilian H class
      G and H class destroyer
      The G- and H-class destroyers were a class of twenty-four destroyers of the Royal Navy launched in 1935–1939. They served in World War II and sixteen were lost, with a seventeenth being written off as a constructive total loss...
      
       — 6 ships, 1938–1940, ex-Brazilian purchases
  • I class
    I class destroyer
    The I class was a class of eight destroyers plus a flotilla leader of the British Royal Navy ordered under the 1935 naval programme, laid down in 1936 and completed in 1937 and 1938...
    
     — 9 ships, 1936–1937
    • ex-Turkish I class
      I class destroyer
      The I class was a class of eight destroyers plus a flotilla leader of the British Royal Navy ordered under the 1935 naval programme, laid down in 1936 and completed in 1937 and 1938...
      
       — 2 ships, 1939–1941, ex-Turkish purchases
• Tribal class
  Tribal class destroyer (1936)
  The Tribal class, or Afridi class, were a class of destroyers built for the Royal Navy, Royal Canadian Navy and Royal Australian Navy that saw service in World War II...
  
   — 27 ships, 1936–1944
• J, K and N class
  J, K and N class destroyer
  The J, K and N class was a class of 24 destroyers of the Royal Navy launched in 1938. They were a return to a smaller vessel, with a heavier torpedo armament, after the Tribal class that emphasised guns over torpedoes. The ships were built in three flotillas or groups, eight each of ships with...
  
   — 24 ships, 1938–1941
• Hunt class
  Hunt class destroyer
  The Hunt class was a class of Destroyer escort of the Royal Navy. The first vessels were ordered early in 1939, and the class saw extensive service in World War II, particularly on the British East Coast and Mediterranean convoys. They were named after British fox hunts...
  
   — 83 ships (20 Type I, 33 Type II, 28 Type III, 2 Type IV), 1939–1942, "escort destroyers"
• L and M class
  L and M class destroyer
  The L and M class was a class of sixteen destroyers which served in the British Royal Navy during World War II. The ships of the class were launched between 1939 and 1942.-Design details:...
  
   — 16 ships, 1939–42
• Town class
  Town class destroyer
  The Town class destroyers were warships transferred from the United States Navy to the Royal Navy and the Royal Canadian Navy in exchange for military bases in the Bahamas and elsewhere, as outlined in the Destroyers for Bases Agreement between Britain and United States, signed on 2 September 1940...
  
   — 50 ships from three classes of United States Navy
  United States Navy
  The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
  
   destroyers, built 1917–1920, transferred 1940

• World War II War Emergency Programme classes
  War Emergency Programme destroyers
  The War Emergency Programme destroyers were 112 destroyers built for the British Royal Navy during World War II. They were based on the hull and machinery of the earlier J, K and N class destroyer. Due to supply problems and the persistent failure by the Royal Navy to develop a suitable...
  
  
  • O and P class
    O and P class destroyer
    The O and P class was a class of destroyers of the British Royal Navy. Ordered in 1939, they were the first ships in the War Emergency Programme, also known as the 1st and 2nd Emergency Flotilla, respectively...
    
     — 16 ships, 1941–1942
  • Q and R class
    Q and R class destroyer
    The Q and R class was a class of sixteen War Emergency Programme destroyers ordered for the British Royal Navy in 1940 as the 3rd and 4th Emergency Flotilla. They served as convoy escorts during World War II. Three Q class ships were transferred to the Royal Australian Navy upon completion, with...
    
     — 16 ships, 1941–1942
  • S and T class
    S and T class destroyer
    The S and T class was a class of sixteen destroyers of the Royal Navy launched in 1942–1943. They were built as two flotillas, known as the 5th and 6th Emergency Flotilla respectively and they served as fleet and convoy escorts in World War II.-Design features:The S class, introduced the CP ...
    
     — 16 ships, 1942–1943
  • U and V class
    U and V class destroyer
    The U and V class was a class of sixteen destroyers of the Royal Navy launched in 1942–1943. They were constructed in two flotillas, each with names beginning with "U-" or "V-"...
    
     — 16 ships, 1942–1943
  • W and Z class
    W and Z class destroyer
    The W and Z class was a class of sixteen destroyers of the Royal Navy launched in 1943–1944. They were constructed as two flotillas, with names beginning with "W-" and "Z-", respectively, although, like the preceding U and V class, two of the flotilla leaders were named after historical naval...
    
     — 16 ships, 1943–1944
  • C class
    C class destroyer (1943)
    The C class was a class of 32 destroyers of the Royal Navy that were launched from 1943 to 1945. The class was built in four flotillas of 8 vessels, the Ca, Ch, Co and Cr classes, ordered as the 11th, 12th, 13th and 14th Emergency Flotillas respectively...
    
     — 32 ships, (8 Ca-, 8 Ch-, 8 Co-, 8 Cr-), 1943–1945

• Battle class
  Battle class destroyer
  The Battle class were a class of destroyers of the British Royal Navy and Royal Australian Navy . Built in three groups, the first group were ordered under the 1942 naval estimates. A modified second and third group, together with two ships of an extended design were planned for the 1943 and 1944...
  
   — 23 ships (16 Group I, 7 Group II), 1943–1946
• Weapon class
  Weapon class destroyer
  The Weapon class was a class of destroyers built for the British Royal Navy towards the end of World War II. They were the smaller counterpart to the Battle class and were the first new destroyer designs for the Royal Navy since the Second World War Emergency Programme...
  
   — 4 ships, 1945–1946
• Daring class
  Daring class destroyer (1949)
  The Daring class was a class of eleven destroyers built for the Royal Navy and Royal Australian Navy . Constructed after World War II, and entering service during the 1950s, eight ships were constructed for the RN, and three ships for the RAN. Two of the RN destroyers were subsequently sold to and...
  
   — 8 ships, 1949–1952

Guided-missile destroyers

• County class
  County class destroyer
  The County class was a class of guided missile destroyers, the first such vessels built by the Royal Navy. Designed specifically around the Sea Slug anti-aircraft missile system, the primary role of these ships was area air-defence around the aircraft carrier task force in the nuclear-war...
  
   — 8 ships (4 Batch I, 4 Batch II), 1961–1967
• Type 82
  Type 82 destroyer
  The Type 82 or Bristol-class destroyer was to be a class of four Royal Navy warships intended as area air-defence destroyers to replace the County-class destroyers, and to serve as escorts to the planned CVA-01 aircraft carriers...
  
   — 1 ship, 1969
• Type 42
  Type 42 destroyer
  The Type 42 or Sheffield class, are guided missile destroyers used by the British Royal Navy and the Argentine Navy. The first ship of the class was ordered in 1968 and launched in 1971, and today three ships remain active in the Royal Navy and one in the Argentinian Navy...
  
   — 14 ships (6 Sheffield, 4 Exeter, 4 Manchester), 1971–1983
• Type 45
  Type 45 destroyer
  The United Kingdom's Type 45 destroyer is an air defence destroyer programme of the Royal Navy which will replace its Type 42 destroyers. The first ship in the class, HMS Daring, was launched on 1 February 2006 and commissioned on 23 July 2009. The ships are now built by BAE Systems Surface Ships...
  
  — 6 ships, scheduled for commissioning 2009–2014