US and UK Forces Sink Decommissioned Warship Off Scottish Coast in Missile Test

A retired United States Navy frigate has been sent to the bottom of the North Atlantic during a joint live-fire exercise that brought together American and British forces off the west coast of Scotland. The decommissioned USS Klakring was struck by multiple weapons before sinking in waters roughly 170 miles (274km) from the Outer Hebrides last Monday, according to the US Navy.

The vessel, which had been out of service for more than a decade, was used as a target during Exercise Atlantic Thunder 2026. The exercise allowed both navies to test modern weaponry against a full-sized warship hull, a scenario that cannot be replicated with computer modelling or smaller targets. The US Navy said the ship was subjected to a "rigorous" cleaning process before the live firing began, and that personnel checked for the presence of whales and dolphins in the area ahead of the exercise.

USS Klakring was hit by a missile launched from the destroyer USS Paul Ignatius and a torpedo fired by USS Massachusetts. The combination of air-launched and underwater weapons reflects the multi-layered nature of modern naval warfare, in which surface ships must be prepared to defend against threats arriving from above the waves and below them simultaneously.

The Royal Navy also took the opportunity to test what have been described as "ship-busting" weapons during the exercise. HMS Portland, a Type 23 frigate, unleashed a Naval Sea Missile (NSM), an advanced sea-skimming weapon capable of travelling close to supersonic speeds and striking a target more than 100 miles away. Such missiles are designed to fly low over the water to avoid detection by radar, making them difficult for enemy vessels to intercept.

In addition, the ship's Wildcat helicopter fired Sea Venom missiles at the target vessel. According to the Royal Navy, this marked the first live firing of the weapons from a Wildcat helicopter at a realistic target. The milestone represents a significant step forward in the integration of helicopter-launched anti-ship missiles into the fleet's operational capabilities, giving commanders a fast and flexible option for engaging hostile vessels at range.

The Klakring entered service in 1983 as a guided missile frigate and was decommissioned in 2013 after three decades of service. The ship was named after Rear Adm Thomas B Klakring, who was awarded three US Navy Crosses while serving as the commander of a submarine during World War Two. The vessel's final act as a target continues a long tradition of retired warships being used to train personnel and test weapons systems under realistic conditions.

The US Navy has a history of deliberately sinking its own decommissioned vessels as part of training exercises, and in some cases to create artificial reefs for marine life. In 2006, an aircraft carrier was among the warships sent to the seabed in a similar fashion. Sinking exercises provide a rare opportunity to observe how a large naval vessel responds to successive hits from different types of munitions, information that is difficult to obtain in any other way.

Environmental considerations form a central part of the planning for such exercises. The US Navy said sinking exercises were prepared in strict compliance with environmental regulations. A spokesperson explained that the extensive preparations included putting the hulk through a rigorous cleaning process to remove contaminants and old equipment, thereby assuring that the environmental impact of the exercise is minimal. The removal of fuel, oil and other hazardous materials is a standard requirement before any vessel is intentionally sunk.

The spokesperson added that sinking ex-navy vessels, which are specially prepared as targets, provides a practicable method for conducting large scale exercises of this type, to train at the high level required by the armed forces. The argument is that live-fire training against a genuine warship hull offers a level of realism that no simulated environment can match, and that the benefits to fleet readiness justify the costs and logistical effort involved.

The waters off western Scotland have long been used for military training, and the Ministry of Defence's Hebrides range hosts a variety of exercises involving allied nations. The location offers deep water, low levels of civilian shipping traffic and the infrastructure needed to support complex live-firing events. The participation of US forces alongside the Royal Navy reflects the close defence relationship between the two countries, which regularly conduct joint training across a range of environments.

Exercise Atlantic Thunder 2026 is the latest in a series of drills designed to strengthen interoperability between the two navies. For the Royal Navy, the event provided a rare chance to demonstrate the NSM and Sea Venom systems against a realistic target, offering valuable data on how the weapons perform in operational conditions. For the US Navy, the sinking of the Klakring allowed crews to test torpedoes and missiles against a known hull, verifying the effectiveness of the systems in a live setting.

The decision to check for whales and dolphins before the firing began highlights the sensitivity of conducting military exercises in waters that are home to a variety of marine species. Navies operating in the region are required to take precautions to limit disturbance to wildlife, and the pre-exercise survey is one of several measures intended to reduce the risk to protected animals.