By Aaron Newbury
Copyright yahoo
The Royal Navy has carried out a successful test of a new missile capable of taking out enemy warships from a range of more than 100 miles.
Frigate HMS Somerset launched the Naval Strike Missile (NSM) at the Norwegian Arctic rocket range in Andøya, during an exercise codenamed Aegir 25.
The drill, conducted alongside Nato allies from Norway and Poland, included the debut of the new weapon as it was launched from a British ship.
The 400kg missile represented a significant upgrade from the ageing Harpoon missile system, which is currently carried by the Royal Navy’s Type 23 frigates and Type 45 destroyers.
With a greater range, and modern targeting equipment, the NSM can strike both warships, and land targets.
Luke Pollard, the Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, said: “The Naval Strike Missile is one of the most advanced missiles in our naval arsenal. It will give the Royal Navy and our allies an edge against our enemies.
“This milestone, achieved through our exemplary international partnership with Norway, significantly enhances our maritime deterrent and underscores the Government’s dedication to investing in the technologies that will maintain Britain’s security.”
The new weapon travels at near-supersonic speeds, flying low over the sea level to evade radar detection before it strikes its target.
It is already in service in the Norwegian, United States and Polish navies, and will now be rolled out across the Royal Navy.
HMS Somerset, which was recently deployed to monitor the Russian undersea reconnaissance ship, Yantar, is the first British warship to fire the weapon.
HMS Richmond and HMS Portland also have the new missile system fitted.
Commander Matt Millyard, the commanding officer of the Somerset, praised his crew, saying: “I am very proud of the team following the successful first-of-class firing of the Naval Strike Missile.
“This is not something that comes together easily and has involved an incredible amount of work by the crew and staff from across the defence enterprise.
“The professionalism and teamwork demonstrated by all throughout the planning and execution has been exemplary”.
The test took months of preparation, with engineers from the Norwegian defence company Kongsberg, which makes the missile, supporting the launch.
Commander Matthew Cox, the UK’s NSM programme director, said: “This programme showcases the strong UK-Norwegian strategic partnership, enabling the UK to achieve its first ship installation within 12 months of business case approval – an unprecedented pace for a complex weapons programme.
“The UK’s first NSM firing, hosted by Norway at Andøya, further highlights this enduring collaboration.”
The NSM will complement the Royal Navy’s future cruise and anti-ship weapon, a heavier missile that is set to be fitted to next-generation warships such as the Type 26 and Type 31 frigates.
It is understood that the two systems are meant to restore long-range strike power to the Fleet.
