Image taken from the operations room of HMS Diamond, seen here preparing to fire Sea Viper missiles in the Red Sea on January 10, 2024. UK Ministry of Defence/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY
LONDON, Jan 21 (Reuters) – Britain’s Ministry of Defence said on Sunday it would spend 405 million pounds ($514 million) to upgrade a missile system now being used by the Royal Navy to shoot down hostile drones over the Red Sea.
The Sea Viper Air Defence system will be upgraded with missiles featuring a new warhead and software enabling it to counter ballistic missile threats, the MoD said in a statement.
The contracts were awarded to the British division of MBDA, a missiles joint venture owned by Airbus AIR.PA, BAE Systems BAES.L and Leonardo LDOF.MI, the MoD said.
“As the situation in the Middle East worsens, it is vital that we adapt to keep the UK, our allies and partners safe,” defence minister Grant Shapps said in the statement.
“Sea Viper has been at the forefront of this, being the Navy’s weapon of choice in the first shooting down of an aerial threat in more than 30 years.”
U.S. and British naval forces in the Red Sea have shot drones and missiles fired by Yemen’s Houthi movement this month as the conflict between Israel and Hamas spilled out into the broader region.
($1 = 0.7874 pounds)
(Writing by William SchombergEditing by Peter Graff)
(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2024.
Join the gCaptain Club for curated content, insider opinions, and vibrant community discussions.
Join the 105,832 members that receive our newsletter.
Have a news tip? Let us know.
By Bloomberg News (Bloomberg) — China’s largest and most advanced warship has begun its first sea trial, paving the way for the country to enhance its navy’s capability to project power...
By Peter Martin and Andreo Calonzo (Bloomberg) — The Philippines is weighing a new approach in the South China Sea where increasing encounters with Beijing have damaged its vessels and injured...
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) says the U.S. Navy needs to improve the reliability and management of its ship crewing data. The Navy has historically assigned fewer crew members...
Access exclusive insights, engage in vibrant discussions, and gain perspectives from our CEO.
Sign Up
Maritime and offshore news trusted by our 105,832 members delivered daily straight to your inbox.
Essential news coupled with the finest maritime content sourced from across the globe.
Sign Up
Join The Club
