Even the cold and grey November weather yesterday afternoon failed to dampen the enthusiasm of the 12,000 crowd as they watched HMS Dragon take to the water.

Fireworks were let off from the 8000-tonne vessel's prow and balloons released from the deck as she slipped into the Clyde.

The Type 45 story HMS Daring was the first off the drawing board. Steel cutting began in March, 2003, but it was another three years before the destroyer was launched at Scotstoun by the Countess of Wessex. Daring will be handed over to the Royal Navy on December 10 and will sail out of the Clyde for the last time on January 16. advertisement HMS Dauntless was launched on January 23, 2007, and on Friday began her first sea trial. She will spend four weeks off Scotland's west coast before returning to Scotstoun. HMS Diamond was also launched this time last year and will also undergo trials next year. She is expected to be delivered to the Royal Navy in 2010. HMS Dragon was the star attraction yesterday when she was launched at Govan. Sea trials will be in 2010 before she is handed over to the Navy's top brass the year after. HMS Defender is on schedule to be launched next year. The warship is expected to complete sea trials in 2011 before being available for active duty in 2012. HMS Duncan is the last of the original fleet of six new generation destroyers to replace the ageing Type 22s. She will launch at Govan in 2010.

Some spectators wept tears of pride as the Band of the Royal Marines played the Navy Hymn, For Those In Peril On The Sea.

It's an occasion that happens on the Clyde only once a year now.

Quentin Davies, government minister for defence, procurement and support, said: "Govan has never had a better or prouder day than this. I would like to say a big thank you for a superb job well done."

DRAGON was the latest Royal Navy destroyer - the most powerful and sophisticated ever - to glide down the slipway at BVT's shipyard at Govan.

The 5000ft long Type 45 destroyer has mind-boggling technology including anti-aircraft weaponry.

Many of those in the crowd were children from schools across the west of Scotland.

Dragon was launched at exactly 2.59pm by Susie Boissier, wife of the Royal Navy's Vice Admiral Paul Boissier, who is Deputy Commander-In-Chief Fleet and Chief of Staff.

Sister ships HMS Daring, Dauntless and Diamond have already been built by BAE Systems at the Scotstoun and Govan yards and launched on the Clyde. The entire fleet is costing £6billion and a further two vessels, Defender and Duncan, are in the pipeline.

The Ministry of Defence order has ensured jobs for thousands shipyard workers.

Robert Taggart, 83, of Bishopton, who served in the Second World War Atlantic Convoys said: "I have seen them launched and seen them sunk. They're different boats to what I was in back then."

His friend Robert Smith, 62, a retired admin officer, was at the launch because he had friends in the shipyard.

Paul Bunton, 27, brought his two-year old son Jack.

Paul, a nurse at the Beatson cancer unit, said: "I thought it'd be good to bring my boy, it's something he can talk about when he's older."

Among apprentices who attended were Joe Dunn and Cheryl Stuart, 20, a technical apprentice from Drumchapel, who said it was "exciting".

Apprentice pipe-fitter Joe, 28, from Johnstone, said: "There is a great sense of pride in knowing this area has built something that will benefit the entire country."

Commander Ian Jackson, who will be in charge of the vessel, said Dragon was "fantastic".

He said 80% of the technology was new to the Royal Navy.