Portsmouth-based Royal Navy warship destroys jet drone during world’s largest test of naval and missile defences

HMS Defender deployed to Scotland’s Outer Hebrides for the operation, known as Formidable Shield 2023, to test missiles, systems, sensors and software against ballistic, subsonic and supersonic targets, alongside 13 NATO and partner nations.

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The Type 45 led the Royal Navy’s participation as a dedicated air defence destroyer designed to shield a task group, culminating in a firing of her Sea Viper missile system – the £1bn warship’s primary weapon – during a mission to destroy a drone.

Petty Officer Cameron McDonnell controlled the Sea Viper missile fired from Defender against the highly-manoeuvrable drone – Bruiser 9384 – which travels at hundreds of miles an hour.

HMS Defender provided an umbrella of protection, calculating that a threat was approaching using her distinctive radar systems. The Type 45 has the ability to track hundreds of targets as far as 250 miles away with its cutting-edge technology.

Lieutenant Commander Carl Marin-Ortega, HMS Defender’s weapon engineer officer, said: ‘Every year we try something new, something harder to challenge ourselves and our equipment.

‘Not only do we work and train with our national allies and partners but we have furthered the development of our own sovereign capabilities.’

He added: ‘As a war-fighter we get to work with our allies and rehearse the reduced timescales we would see with supersonic and ballistic targets. The exercise culminated in the firing, which has been the highlight of my time on board so far.’

The missile system is undergoing a £300m upgrade to ensure the navy is protected from the latest threats, including anti-ship ballistic missiles.

Reflecting on a visit to Formidable Shield last month, minister for defence procurement, James Cartlidge MP, said of the operation: ‘Formidable Shield is a hugely important exercise and I was honoured to see first-hand the cooperation between our Allied nations.

‘Hosted in the Outer Hebrides, and bringing together aircraft, naval ships and more than 4,000 military personnel from 13 NATO nations, Formidable Shield truly demonstrates our effective collaboration in defending and deterring against emerging threats.’

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