The US and UK used a retired US Navy frigate as a target during a sinking exercise in the North Atlantic this month. Their forces tested several anti-ship weapons before a submarine torpedo sent the vessel to the seabed.
The exercise, called Atlantic Thunder 2026, ran from September 14 to 25. It gave the allies a chance to practice striking a moving maritime target together and collect data on how their weapons affected the ship.
One focus was the SM-6 missile. A US Navy destroyer fired it to test its surface-to-surface engagement capability at the furthest range the exercise allowed, though the Navy did not disclose the distance.
SM-6 opens the attack
The destroyer USS Paul Ignatius fired the SM-6 at the decommissioned guided-missile frigate Klakring.
The missile was used first because it was the longest-range weapon in the sequence, according to US Navy Capt. Kelechi Ndukwe, commander of the 6th Fleet’s Task Force 65.
“We were testing the surface-to-surface engagement ability at the furthest range that we could. We were just testing that range,” Ndukwe told reporters.
Ndukwe did not give the launch distance or say whether the test established a new range record.
The Center for Strategic and International Studies lists the SM-6’s range at nearly 230 miles, but that figure does not establish how far the missile flew during Atlantic Thunder.
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UK weapons join the exercise
A Royal Navy Wildcat helicopter launched the new Sea Venom missile, while the Royal Navy also employed its Naval Strike Missile. The forces moved from longer-range weapons to shorter-range ones as the exercise progressed.
The final strike came from an Mk 48 Advanced Capability Torpedo fired by the Virginia-class submarine Massachusetts. That torpedo sank the Klakring.
Other participants includedthe Royal Navyfrigate HMS Portland, US Navy and Royal Air Force P-8 maritime patrol aircraft, and US Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles. The Navy did not specify what role each of those aircraft played in the attacks on the target ship.
“Atlantic Thunder demonstrates the unmatched lethality and interoperability of the United States and United Kingdom,”Ndukwe saidin a statement.
“This sinking exercise not only validated the power behind U.S.-UK offensive weapons but delivers a clear message to adversaries that the U.S. Navy and Royal Navy remain a ready allied force,” he added.
Sensors capture the damage
Before the exercise, teams from Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock and Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific installed sensors aboard the Klakring. The equipment was intended to record how the weapons affected the frigate.
The Navy will analyze the impact zones and other technical data over the coming months. Ndukwe said the findings could help inform future weapons designs.
The exercise also tested coordination between the allied forces throughout the strike sequence. Ndukwe said their ability to communicate and share battle-damage assessments was a major takeaway from the drill.
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- 3The US material hunt that could bring clean hydrogen closer to $0.45 per pound
- 4Natural hydrogen reservoirs could be used for underground storage, study suggests
- 5$20.7B Pentagon deal ramps up AMRAAM missile production to record-breaking 1,900 yearly
The US and UK used a retired US Navy frigate as a target during a sinking exercise in the North Atlantic this month. Their forces tested several anti-ship weapons before a submarine torpedo sent the vessel to the seabed.
The exercise, called Atlantic Thunder 2026, ran from September 14 to 25. It gave the allies a chance to practice striking a moving maritime target together and collect data on how their weapons affected the ship.
One focus was the SM-6 missile. A US Navy destroyer fired it to test its surface-to-surface engagement capability at the furthest range the exercise allowed, though the Navy did not disclose the distance.
SM-6 opens the attack
The destroyer USS Paul Ignatius fired the SM-6 at the decommissioned guided-missile frigate Klakring.
The missile was used first because it was the longest-range weapon in the sequence, according to US Navy Capt. Kelechi Ndukwe, commander of the 6th Fleet’s Task Force 65.
“We were testing the surface-to-surface engagement ability at the furthest range that we could. We were just testing that range,” Ndukwe told reporters.
Ndukwe did not give the launch distance or say whether the test established a new range record.
The Center for Strategic and International Studies lists the SM-6’s range at nearly 230 miles, but that figure does not establish how far the missile flew during Atlantic Thunder.
More from Military
See AllMilitaryNew US Navy 9,700-ton destroyer USS Ted Stevens arrives in Alaska for commissioningMilitary$20.7B Pentagon deal ramps up AMRAAM missile production to record-breaking 1,900 yearlyMilitaryNew pod clears altitude test to replace fuel-oil mix lubrication in 200-lbf turbojetsMilitary$75M US grant converts EV battery line into drone cell factory with 12M yearly capacityMilitaryUS Air Force tests F-22 with stealthy sensor pods in aggressive flight near EdwardsThe sinking exercise was designed to strengthen the two countries’ ability to carry out long-range maritime strikes. It also tested how well their forces could communicate and assess damage as an attack unfolded.
UK weapons join the exercise
A Royal Navy Wildcat helicopter launched the new Sea Venom missile, while the Royal Navy also employed its Naval Strike Missile. The forces moved from longer-range weapons to shorter-range ones as the exercise progressed.
The final strike came from an Mk 48 Advanced Capability Torpedo fired by the Virginia-class submarine Massachusetts. That torpedo sank the Klakring.
Other participants includedthe Royal Navyfrigate HMS Portland, US Navy and Royal Air Force P-8 maritime patrol aircraft, and US Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles. The Navy did not specify what role each of those aircraft played in the attacks on the target ship.
“Atlantic Thunder demonstrates the unmatched lethality and interoperability of the United States and United Kingdom,”Ndukwe saidin a statement.
“This sinking exercise not only validated the power behind U.S.-UK offensive weapons but delivers a clear message to adversaries that the U.S. Navy and Royal Navy remain a ready allied force,” he added.
Sensors capture the damage
Before the exercise, teams from Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock and Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific installed sensors aboard the Klakring. The equipment was intended to record how the weapons affected the frigate.
The Navy will analyze the impact zones and other technical data over the coming months. Ndukwe said the findings could help inform future weapons designs.
The exercise also tested coordination between the allied forces throughout the strike sequence. Ndukwe said their ability to communicate and share battle-damage assessments was a major takeaway from the drill.
Get the latest in engineering, tech, space & science - delivered daily to your inbox.
By subscribing, you agree to our
Terms of Useand
PoliciesYou may unsubscribe at any time.
0
COMMENT
Subscribe to
Today!
Access to exclusive content, expert insights and a deeper dive into engineering and tech. No ads, no limits.
Explore Now!By
Atharva GosaviAtharva is a full-time content writer with a post-graduate degree in media & amp; entertainment and a graduate degree in electronics & telecommunications. He has written in the sports and technology domains respectively. In his leisure time, Atharva loves learning about digital marketing and watching soccer matches. His main goal behind joining Interesting Engineering is to learn more about how the recent technological advancements are helping human beings on both societal and individual levels in their daily lives.
- 1US clears environmental review for 835 MW Three Mile Island reactor restart
- 2US scientists find solid battery material moves lithium ions rapidly above 260°F
- 3The US material hunt that could bring clean hydrogen closer to $0.45 per pound
- 4Natural hydrogen reservoirs could be used for underground storage, study suggests
- 5$20.7B Pentagon deal ramps up AMRAAM missile production to record-breaking 1,900 yearly
