Watch: Norwegian Submarine Destroys Decommissioned Frigate in Arctic Warfare Exercise

NATO has released dramatic footage from Exercise Aegir 25, showing the Norwegian submarine KNM Uthaug firing a torpedo that destroyed the decommissioned frigate KNM Trondheim during live-fire drills near Andfjorden, Norway.

The exercise, which took place off the coast of Andøy, was designed to demonstrate the striking power of modern submarine warfare capabilities. According to NATO Allied Joint Force Command Norfolk, the purpose of the torpedo firing was to verify and demonstrate the weapon system’s effectiveness and the submarine’s operational capabilities.

“A submarine has long endurance, operates covertly, and has a unique ability to dictate the battle,” the command stated in announcing the results of the exercise.

The multi-national exercise included vessels and units from the Norwegian Armed Forces (Forsvaret), the Royal Navy, and Poland, highlighting NATO’s commitment to interoperability and collective defense in the strategically important Arctic region.

In a separate but related development during Aegir 25, the Royal Navy achieved a significant milestone with the first operational firing of the Naval Strike Missile (NSM) from HMS Somerset. The Plymouth-based frigate traveled to Norway’s Arctic rocket range at Andøya to test the advanced anti-ship weapon system.

The 400-kilogram Naval Strike Missile represents a substantial upgrade over the previous Harpoon missile system, offering greater range and more advanced capabilities. The weapon can strike targets at distances exceeding 100 miles and travels at near-supersonic speeds while evading detection by skimming close to the sea surface.

Commander Matt Millyard, Commanding Officer of HMS Somerset, praised his crew’s performance. “I am very proud of the team following the successful first of class firing of the Naval Strike Missile,” he said. “This is not something that comes together easily and has involved an incredible amount of work by the crew and staff from across the defence enterprise.”

The successful firing culminated months of meticulous planning and system integration work, conducted with support from Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, the Norwegian manufacturer of the NSM. The missile system is currently fitted to HMS Richmond, HMS Somerset, and HMS Portland.

The NSM will serve as a complementary weapon to the Future Cruise Anti-Ship Weapon, which will become the Royal Navy’s primary long-range anti-ship missile for next-generation warships, including the new Type 26 and 31 frigates equipped with the Mk41 vertical launch system.

Exercise Aegir 25 continued through the end of September, with additional firings conducted from land-based launch systems and by Norway’s Coastal Ranger Command.

Subscribe for Daily Maritime Insights

Sign up for gCaptain’s newsletter and never miss an update

— trusted by our 107,044 members