On her maiden deployment, HMS Duncan joined United States Carrier Strike Group 12 for operations against ISIL. She exercised with the French Navy in 2016. She also monitored Admiral Kuznetsov through the English Channel during the Russian carrier's passage towards Syria. In 2017 Duncan commanded Standing NATO Maritime Group Two in the Black Sea and Mediterranean, followed by further NATO deterrence and conflict-management duties in 2018. She visited Odessa in 2019, entered refit that year, and emerged in 2021. Cooperation with France in 2023 supported the allied response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and Duncan again led SNMG2 in July 2023, including a Mediterranean minefield exercise. Duncan's tempo illustrates the pressure on the remaining ships during Daring's prolonged absence. From 2017 the class was effectively operating with about five participating hulls, placing additional strain on a force already reduced from the twelve originally intended.
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HMS Duncan carried NATO duties in a de facto five-ship force
Duncan's carrier, NATO, Black Sea, Mediterranean, and Ukraine-related deployments show the demand placed on the class after Daring's absence reduced six hulls to five in practice.