Royal Navy warship destroys supersonic missile in historic first off the coast of Scotland
One of the UK's most advanced warships has demolished a supersonic missile for the first time ever in a test off the coast of Scotland.
The Type 45 destroyer HMS Dragon fired a specially modified Sea Viper missile at an incoming high-speed target, which simulated the advanced threats seen globally.
The target was significantly more difficult as it flew faster and carried out corkscrews and weave manoeuvres.
The missile launched was a special telemetry version, designed to record measurements and collect valuable data to inform future operations.
It was all part of the largest live-firing exercise in Europe, Exercise Formidable Shield, which is demonstrating the Portsmouth-based ship's ability to defend herself and other ships around her from attack, including from swarms of drones.
"The successful Sea Viper firing as part of Formidable Shield 25 is a huge moment for HMS Dragon," Commander Iain Giffin, HMS Dragon's Commanding Officer, said.
"Not only does it prove that Dragon's world-leading air defence capability functions as it should following an extensive maintenance period, but it also proves our ability to integrate and operate alongside Nato allies and partners.
"Training alongside ships, aircraft and land forces from 11 nations in this complex, multi-domain exercise ensures that we maintain our fighting edge against evolving high and low-tech threats."
After the missile was shot from HMS Dragon's silo, the projectile sped up to more than four times the speed of sound.
It then closed in on the target and obliterated it.
The Sea Viper system uses both the Sampson radar system – the distinctive spinning spiked ball on top of a Type 45 destroyer's main mast – and the Aster missile system, which sits in a silo on the vessel's forecastle.
It tracks aircraft and other objects across thousands of cubic miles of airspace over the Hebrides, identifies threats, and destroys them when required.
"Seeing how far Dragon has progressed, both within the warfare department as well as the wider ship, is impressive," Lieutenant Commander Sarah Kaese, HMS Dragon's Senior Warfare Officer, who is on exchange from the Royal Australian Navy.
Formidable Shield sees naval forces tussle against uncrewed air and surface systems, subsonic, supersonic and ballistic targets, bringing together allied ships and land-based air defences and air forces.
The exercise finishes at the end of the month.
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