Page 22 - ADT AUG - OCT 2024 Digital Magazine | GBP

Navy’s HMS Diamond, a Type
45 destroyer, destroying multiple
incoming attack drones using the
Sea Viper weapons system, which
been in service with the Royal Navy
for more than a decade.

Turkish Delight

With China’s neighbours wary of its
intent to exert its military dominance
in the region, navies in the region
have shown a heightened level of
urgency to improve their shipborne
air-defence capabilities. Japan Waking Up Weapon System (CIWS), an anti-
and South Korea are upgrading ship missile defence system that
their naval air-defence capabilities, Although Asian navies are in the protects Queen Elizabeth-class
including with BMD capacity. As lead, their counterparts in Europe, aircraft carriers, Type 45 destroyers,
naval defence warfare becomes which have to deal with a higher and other ships. The Royal Navy’s
critical for Southeast Asian coun- percentage of ageing legacy plat- Sea Ceptor air defence system
tries, many companies are eyeing forms than Asia’s fleets, have upped includes the CAMM missile that has
a market share. Turkish company their game as well. a range of over 25 kilometers. The
Roketsan, which in March this year service’s other shipborne defence
conducted test firings of its National In January this year, the U.K. gov- systems include Sky Spotter, the
Vertical Launch System (MİDLAS) ernment awarded European missile passive early warning system that
from the indigenously produced maker MBDA three contracts worth uses sensors to track multiple
TCG İstanbul frigate, is promoting a total £405 million (US$515 mil- targets simultaneously, the Surface
the system in the region. lion) to enhance the Royal Navy’s Ship Torpedo Defence (SSTD)
defences against anti-ship ballistic that is being integrated on Type-
missiles. The company will upgrade
“Having recognised the impor- the Aster 30 missiles onboard the 31 Inspiration-class frigates. The
tance of naval defence warfare for service’s six Type 45 destroyers navy also has the Sea Wolf short-
Southeast Asian countries, we are with upgraded warheads and new range surface-to-air missile system
striving to develop the most effec- guidance and seeker software to defends against sea-skimming
tive solutions for the air defence defeat ballistic missiles. MBDA will and anti-ship missiles, CAMM-ER
of the naval forces in the region,” also provide in-service support for (capable of hitting targets over 45
Murat İkinci, Chief Executive the Navy’s Sea Viper air-defence kilometres away, and CAMM-MR,
Officer (CEO) of Roketsan, told system until 2029. MBDA, the prime which has a range of over 100 km.
GBP Aerospace & Defence. “Our contractor for the Sea Viper system, Other countries in Europe have
HİSAR Air Defence Missiles and will work with BAE Systems to also been busy shoring up their
SİPER Long-Range Air Defence upgrade the radar onboard the Type shipborne air defences. With Aster
and Missile System product family, 45 destroyers, with full operational missiles deployed on France’s
when integrated with MİDLAS, can capability expected before 2033. and Italy’s multi-role frigates and
be considered the most effective SAMP/T air-defence systems, the
solution in this regard. Our Close Air As part of the plans to defend countries announced in January
Defence System LEVENT, another against attacks by drones, 2023 that they would purchase
product developed for the self-de- the Royal Navy’s vessels will about 700 additional Aster mis-
fence of naval platforms, will form receive laser weapons by 2027, siles, including the upgraded Block
the backbone of naval air defence U.K. Defence Secretary Grant 1 version, for both ground-based
systems. LEVENT will operate Shapps said in April this year. The and maritime air defence systems.
using two separate launchers that DragonFire weapon, developed by According to MBDA, the upgraded
can be integrated with the ship’s MBDA in partnership with Leonardo Aster Block 1 missiles can destroy
sensors or move autonomously UK and QinetiQ, will use directed ballistic threats with a 600-kilo-
under the direction of their own energy to defeat aerial threats. The meter range. As part of its plan to
sensors and lock on to the target,” U.K.’s shipborne defence systems further enhance the ballistic missile
he adds. also include the Phalanx Close-in defence capabilities of the U.K.’s

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