Royal Navy’s HMS Defender joins 15-warship armada for ‘world’s largest’ test of naval and missile defences

A £1billion Royal Navy warship destroyed a jet drone using a missile that can take out airborne threats up to 75 miles away during the “world’s largest” tests of naval defences.

The HMS Defender was deployed to Scotland’s Outer Hebrides for Formidable Shield 2023, an exercise alongside 13 Nato and partner nations to test missiles, sensors, systems and software against ballistic, subsonic and supersonic targets.

The Type 45 warship led the Royal Navy’s participation by firing the Sea Viper missile system during a mission to locate and destroy a drone designed to be difficult to track and intercept.

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