Royal Navy ship shoots down first enemy missile since Gulf War
A ROYAL NAVY warship has shot down an enemy ballistic missile in combat for the first time, the Defence Secretary has said.
HMS Diamond intercepted the weapon, which was fired by the Iranbacked Houthi rebels at a merchant vessel in the Gulf of Aden on Wednesday, the Ministry of Defence announced.
The Type 45 destroyer’s Sea Viper missile system swung into action to down the Iranian-made missile after it was fired from nearby Yemen. It was the first time a Navy warship had shot down a missile of any kind in combat since the Gulf War in 1991, when HMS Gloucester, a Type 42 destroyer, took out an Iraqi Silkworm missile that had been fired at a US warship.
“I want to thank the brave crew of HMS Diamond for her vital role in saving innocent lives and protecting international shipping from illegal Houthi attacks,” Grant Shapps said.
Commander Peter Evans, the commanding officer of HMS Diamond, said: “I’m immensely proud of the ship’s company, whose professionalism meant they were able to react in a split second to defeat the threat today. As ever, Diamond is ready to protect seafarers and ensure the freedom of the seas.”
HMS Diamond has been deployed in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since March as part of the Us-led Operation Prosperity Guardian to protect commercial vessels that come under attack.
The Houthis announced on Wednesday they had targeted the Maersk Yorktown vessel and an American warship in the Gulf of Aden. US military officials said the attack was thwarted by a member of the Western coalition engaging an anti-ship ballistic missile.
The intercepted weapon was believed to be the Iranian-made Fateh110 short-range ballistic missile or the longer-ranged Zolfaghar, a mobile missile capable of hitting targets at a distance of up to 435 miles.
HMS Diamond was dispatched to the region to replace the history-making HMS Richmond after the warship successfully shot down two Houthi drones in the southern Red Sea using Sea Ceptor missiles, becoming the first Navy vessel to fire them in combat.
The warship is equipped with the Sea Viper system, used to launch Aster 15 and Aster 30 missiles, that is a key pillar of the UK’S air-defence strategy.
The missiles are known for their precision and long-range capabilities.