La Royal Navy testa il nuovo missile “Busting Ship”

>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.