Article Posted on : - Nov 04, 2010

The Sea Wolf missile being fired from HMS Richmond frigate. A Royal Navy photo

LONDON (BNS): British Royal Navy's Type 23 anti-submarine warfare (ASW) frigate HMS Richmond has successfully test-fired the Sea Wolf missile system recently.

The tenth of the Type 23 Duke Class ASW frigates in service with the British Navy, HMS Richmond conducted the test of the Sea Wolf surface-to-air 'point defence' missile system off the coast of Portland last week, the UK Navy said.

The test validated operational readiness of the weapon system as well as deployability of the naval warship to take on any role, it said.

During the test, the Sea Wolf missile was fired against a target that is similar, in principle, to a small glider.

A few seconds later, the weapon, rising from the vertical launch silo, destroyed the target, the Navy said.

The Royal Navy has equipped its Type 22 and Type 23 frigates with the Sea Wolf missile systems. Using a short range supersonic missile, it enables ships to defend themselves against aircraft and anti ship missiles. The complete weapon system, including tracking radars and fire control computers, operates automatically.

While the Type 22 frigates carry two sextuple Sea Wolf launchers, the Type 23 frigates carry 32 Vertical Launch Sea Wolf (VLS) in a silo on the foredeck. In vertical launch form, the missile has an additional boost rocket motor that is jettisoned once the missile is out of the silo.