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RN plans Type 45 ballistic missile defence, eyes future counter-hypersonic capability

28th February 2022 - 16:41 GMT | by Harry Lye in London

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Type 45 Destroyer HMS Diamond being loaded with Sea Viper missiles at HMNB Portsmouth. (Photo: MoD/ Crown Copyright)

The UK RN will upgrade its Type 45 destroyers to provide a ballistic missile defence capability while detailing plans for the ship's replacements to feature counter-hypersonic equipment.

Upgrades to the Sea Viper missile system aboard Daring-class Type 45 destroyers will protect the RN and wider defence community from ballistic missile threats by the late 2020s, under a newly confirmed UK plan.

A ballistic missile defence (BMD) capability will be delivered through the Sea Viper Evolution (SVE) project.

The government confirmed the plans in a written response to a UK Parliament Defence Committee report on the state of the RN.

Funding for SVE Capability 1, which would see the upgrade of missiles to the Aster Block 1 standard, was mentioned in the March 2021 Integrated Review.

An assessment phase for SVE

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