\nThe Royal Navy is reporting for the first time that one of its advanced Air Defence Destroyers, HMS Dragon<\/em>, has downed a supersonic sea-skimming target. It was a test of a specially-modified Sea Viper missile system carried out during a month-long NATO exercise currently off Scotland.<\/p>\n During the exercise, HMS Dragon<\/em>, the fourth of the Air Defence Destroyer class, commissioned in 2012, was working with other NATO ships conducting missile firing. For this test, they were working with an incoming high-speed target that was emulating one of the most advanced threats the Royal Navy could face. They said it was the first time the Royal Navy had confronted this type of target, which is significantly more challenging as it flies faster and carries out corkscrew and weave maneuvers.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Sea Viper launched was a special telemetry version, designed to record measurements and valuable data to inform future operations. Just two and a half seconds after launch from HMS Dragon<\/em>, the missile accelerated to more than four times the speed of sound (Mach 4), and high above the water, it maneuvers at G-forces which no human could withstand. It obliterated the supersonic missile in what the Royal Navy is calling \u201ca historic first.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n A Friday fireball courtesy of @HMSDragon<\/a>…<\/p>\n In a burst of fire and smoke, the Type 45 destroyer launched a specially-modified Sea Viper missile at an incoming high-speed target which was emulating the kind of advanced threats seen around the globe today.<\/p>\n\n
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