The Royal Navy has successfully destroyed a supersonic missile during a high-stakes live-fire exercise off the coast of Scotland.
The advanced Sea Viper air defence system, launched from Type 45 destroyer HMS Dragon, intercepted a missile target designed to replicate some of the most sophisticated threats currently seen across global conflict zones.
The operation formed part of Exercise Formidable Shield 2025, a NATO-led multinational exercise involving land, air, and sea units from 11 allied nations.
This marked the first time the Royal Navy has tackled a missile of this calibre — one capable of travelling at hypersonic speeds and executing evasive corkscrew manoeuvres.
Commander Iain Giffin, Commanding Officer of HMS Dragon, hailed the test as a major milestone:
“The successful firing of Sea Viper is a huge achievement. It proves HMS Dragon’s cutting-edge air defence systems remain battle-ready after extensive upgrades, and that we’re capable of operating seamlessly with our NATO allies.”
Seconds after launching from the warship’s deck, the Sea Viper missile surged to more than four times the speed of sound. It performed extreme high-G manoeuvres—far beyond human endurance—before obliterating its target mid-air.
The Sea Viper system combines the Sampson radar and Aster missile systems, giving the Royal Navy the ability to detect, track, and eliminate airborne threats across vast expanses of airspace, including over the Hebrides.
Lieutenant Commander Sarah Kaese, Senior Warfare Officer aboard HMS Dragon and on secondment from the Royal Australian Navy, praised the crew’s performance:
“Formidable Shield has pushed the team, but it’s been an outstanding opportunity to cement our warfighting credentials and build operational cohesion within a NATO task group.”
Earlier stages of the exercise were held at Norway’s Andøya range, before shifting to the Hebrides for the Sea Viper live-fire trials.
Nearly 7,000 personnel are taking part in the operation, which is designed to maintain combat readiness against both high-tech and low-tech threats.
