Photo: Royal Navy
“Sky Sharks” is not the name of an action movie, but a recent military exercise where France and the UK joined forces to test the abilities of their powerful assets. Once again, HMS Dragon played an important part, proving that it can successfully protect itself and its allies against attacks.
The UK Royal Navy’s Type 45 destroyer demonstrated that it can defend an entire task group against enemy attacks, during a series of intense exercises that included fast boats and air threats. The Sky Sharks drills were conducted off the coast of Britanny, where HMS Dragon first had to escape from a fast boat designed for in-shore attacks. Next, it had to work even harder, facing a series of threats, including helicopters, drones, Rafale fighter jets, and Hawkeye tactical airborne early warning aircraft.
The British destroyer worked together with the French frigate Aquitaine, the offshore patrol vessel Jacoubet, and an anti-submarine destroyer called Latouche-Tréville. This powerful task group was meant to showcase the participants’ advanced combat tactics and cutting-edge technologies.
This is not the first time this year when HMS Dragon collaborated with its counterparts from the French Navy and other NATO partners. A few months ago, this majestic destroyer, with a distinctive egg-shaped radar on top of its main mast, fired its Sea Viper missile system, during Formidable Shield 2021.
Apart from its lethal capabilities, this warship can literally be considered a star, because it made an appearance in the newly-released No Time to Die. The 500-foot (152 meters) long vessel, with a unique Welsh red dragon on her bow, can be spotted even in the movie’s trailer. The production team had access to a series of the Royal Navy’s ships, as well as the Royal Air Force’s Brize Norton base, in Oxfordshire, used as a backdrop.
The powerful warship transitioned seamlessly from the movie set to the challenging environment of its next joint exercise. With each of these demonstrations, the British and French frigates increase their operational efficiency and improve their interoperability.
The British destroyer worked together with the French frigate Aquitaine, the offshore patrol vessel Jacoubet, and an anti-submarine destroyer called Latouche-Tréville. This powerful task group was meant to showcase the participants’ advanced combat tactics and cutting-edge technologies.
This is not the first time this year when HMS Dragon collaborated with its counterparts from the French Navy and other NATO partners. A few months ago, this majestic destroyer, with a distinctive egg-shaped radar on top of its main mast, fired its Sea Viper missile system, during Formidable Shield 2021.
Apart from its lethal capabilities, this warship can literally be considered a star, because it made an appearance in the newly-released No Time to Die. The 500-foot (152 meters) long vessel, with a unique Welsh red dragon on her bow, can be spotted even in the movie’s trailer. The production team had access to a series of the Royal Navy’s ships, as well as the Royal Air Force’s Brize Norton base, in Oxfordshire, used as a backdrop.
The powerful warship transitioned seamlessly from the movie set to the challenging environment of its next joint exercise. With each of these demonstrations, the British and French frigates increase their operational efficiency and improve their interoperability.
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