IAI and Thales UK are offering what they call a “next Generation ship-Killing solution” to the Royal Navy.

Sea Serpent has anti-ship and anti-surface attack capabilities at ranges “in excess of 200km”.

This is part of an effort on the UK’s part to purchase an interim surface-to-surface guided weapon to replace the Royal Navy’s existing Harpoon missile capability. The Ministry of Defence had last year notified bidders of its intention to purchase an interim anti-ship missile as current Harpoon stocks reach end of life and a replacement not being due until 2030, you can read more on the status of this project by following the link below.

Interim surface-to-surface missile negotiations to begin soon

Anyway, back to the missile. IAI say that SEA SERPENT delivers an “agile, highly penetrative, combined anti-ship and land attack capability at ranges significantly in excess of 200 km”.

“It deploys an innovative RF seeker head and a sophisticated data analysis and weapon control system to provide precise target detection, discrimination and classification. It overcomes both kinetic counter-fire and electronic countermeasures of increasing sophistication, so that the missile can locate and attack its target in littoral, open-ocean and overland environments. It is especially designed to prevail in contested, congested and confusing situations characterised by large numbers of decoys, disrupted reality and heavy electronic interference, as well as clutter from land and false returns. In fast-moving situations, SEA SERPENT incorporates mid-course updates from real-time ISTAR feeds and the ability to re-task in flight, especially in cooperative engagements and distributed sensor-and-shooter networks.”

According to IAI, as “the most advanced ship-launched anti-surface missile in the free world”, SEA SERPENT also offers significant ‘Military Off-the-Shelf Solution’ advantages in terms of cost, time-to-procurement, entry into operational service and risk reduction.

“Benchmarked against the need to defeat the most sophisticated platforms and technologies, SEA SERPENT has been developed in parallel with similar missile systems in service with the Israeli Navy and was selected to provide powerful strike capabilities for Finland’s SSM2020 programme. nThese systems are based on the heritage of the GABRIEL family of surface-to-surface missiles. SEA SERPENT has already demonstrated an impressive Next Day capacity to deal with emerging threats, as well as the technological flexibility for further growth and development.”

George Allison
George Allison
George has a degree in Cyber Security from Glasgow Caledonian University and has a keen interest in naval and cyber security matters and has appeared on national radio and television to discuss current events. George is on Twitter at @geoallison
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121 COMMENTS

  1. Looks good 👍🏻 Potentially the Barr’s IRN BRU of the anti ship missile killing world. If the RN are getting an interim missile then if it’s cheaper all round and is better than harpoon block II+ then it should be considered 👍🏻

    🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇬🇧

    • km is the relevant SI unit.

      Given the short life of the T23 I’m afraid that the quickest fix is Harpoon Block II+.

      Risk with going in other directions is that by the time it is fitted you are too close to OoS dates to make it worth it!

      • But couldn’t they refit on newer vessels. It’s just the launching system and radars that need to be refitted or built new, the missiles are presumably only loaded to the ship when it goes to sea

      • The range is actually qouted at DSEI 2021 as 290+kms. So much further than Harpoon and NSM and with its ability for cooperative engagement, data sharing, mid course retasking, land attack and terminal phase evasive maneuvers as well as a reoorted counter measures deployment capability coming up, i think this system would be a great fit for type 45s, type 31, type 26 and retrofitted onto type 23s before they leave service. Giving the RN much needed and hard hitting stand off offensive firepower against even the largest surface combatants.
        If we can get 150+ missiles in container form they could also be a used for a vehicle mounted option for Royal marines and littoral maneuvre groups. Im thinking of area denial and countering incursions into friendly or allied or uk territory.

        • I imagine that with type 32 we will see some more details of the PODs concept. By the sound of it that will contain missiles in containers. Possibly allowing the same missiles to be land or sea based. That would open up some interesting options for commanders. This is just speculation of course but I am sure that it is feasible.

    • It is easily done to be fair. Spike NLOS works well enough. The British Army tried to keep their procurement quiet for just that reason I believe. I recall it only came out after some journalists film showed it in use by or forces?

      • I would disagree with “any missile is better than nothing”

        Many weeks were spent on isolated ranges in the 80’s and 90’s witnessing that some missiles are a lot better than others. And that some missiles are totally and utterly useless.

        The ‘something is better than nothing’ was the fig leaf that caused six ships sunk in ‘82 and good men dead.

        You don’t send ships to war armed with obsolete rubbish like Sea Cat and Sea Slug and then express surprise that it didn’t work out too well.

        Everyone was looking for a quick fix: can you put Rapier on a ship? Didn’t work well. Rinse and repeat with every weapons system that the UK had any anything anyone would sell us. Anything for quick cheap ship point defence to upgrade the fleet. Preferably a bolt on solution.

        Conclusion was that Sea Wolf was the best solution available which was not bolt on but did the job really really well. With an adjunct of Phalanx was about the best job you could do: at the time.

        RN now thankfully only keeps useful and very good stuff which creates laser focus on where the gaps are. If an OSD date had not been set for Harpoon then there probably would be no interim AShSM and our boys and girls would just have an obsolete system.

  5. Wow, thanks Israel, the spec. and £cost of this are excellent.
    Could not see if there is a VLS version, but who cares…
    BUY THEM!

  6. Looks a very impressive solution and relatively cheap too. In fact so good it may not be an interim procurement. Just interested in the size of the warhead, anyone? Also being bolt on canisters (which T23, T45, T26 & T31 all have room for) it leaves the VLS empty for Tomahawk.

    • Cant seem to find a warhead size but here’s more info from the Finnish Gabriel 5 version they bought

      Range: over 200 km
      Seeker: Active radar seeker with advanced anti-jam features, all-weather capability, wide search range and good discrimination resolution
      Warhead: Penetrating warhead
      Engine: Jet engine
      Navigation: GPS / INS, multiple waypoints
      Length: 5.5 m
      Weight: 1250 kg
      Speed: Subsonic
      Manufactured by Israel Aerospace Industries, IAI

  7. Almost a drop in replacement for Harpoon, a Gabriel V quad canister is designed to drop into the same space as a Harpoon quad canister and is a direct replacement for Harpoon on the Israeli Sa’ar V class Corvette.

    The system is retargetable after launch which is a highly desirable capability for the RN and MOD considering the risks involved firing heavy AShM in congested waters with Civilian traffic. It would also give an instant long distance precision land attack capability to the RN surface fleet.

  8. Has there been any recent reference to the procurement being 5 sets?

    I’m hoping the plan is to upgrade the 5 youngest T23 with a relatively cheap box launched missile in the Harpoon block II or NSM ballpark which can then be migrated onto T31 with the T26 getting a proper heavyweight, dual mode cruise missile (Perseus) to stock the Mk41.

  9. If its about the same Israeli version as the one Finnish designated the FSSM2020, then things are interesting as the Fins selected it rather than other missiles tested – Kongsberg’s NSM, MBDA’s Exocet, Boeing’s Harpoon and Saab’s RBS15.

  10. No thanks to apartheid state missiles!
    A country that host the world largest open air prison called Gaza that target practices on children condemned by every human rights organisation on the planet .Normalising Israel is supporting that apartheid state. Our navy should not buy much foreign weapons to start of with, let alone buy Israeli out of all countries

    • Oh look. Instead of a discussion on a missile we have a liberal bedwetter.
      And shades of antisemitism too….

        • Thanks David, I love it when anti Israeli trolls show their true colours, also their ignorance as to real politik.

      • Interesting you endeavour to confuse antisemitism with opinion on behaviour of a hard line political regime. They are not the same. Maybe it doesn’t translate that well from Russian ?

          • Exactly….so the potential racist policies of a government, resulting in people being critical of that government has got nothing to do with the religious make up of that government. I may not be a fan of the current Myanmar regime or Venezuelan government but that does not mean I am anti budhist or anto catholic. ….so yes…your post was confused. Have a great day.

          • ?. Go back to original commentary. At no point have I defended the Palestinians. I simply made comment that just because you don’t like a particular govt doesn’t mean you are anti the religion of that government…it’s not a difficult concept.

            Likewise there are many entities and organisations that are Muslim that I detest… but I’ve also happily lived in a number of western, Buddhist and Muslim countries over past 25 years. Nothing against the Muslim faith but ideological extremism in all religions is.IMHO, a dangerous concept…and people trying to exploit religious differences as our Russian troll friend did is also a problem.

            P

      • What has anti semitism to do with a Nethanyahu regime many Israelis are against ? With endless corruption! Tune into Israeli media and see how much the regime is disliked besides of being indicted of war crimes by the International Criminal Court. Doing crimes and hiding behind anti semitism just works not anymore on the masses when they see target practice on children videos by laughing Israeli soldiers . Sorry I don’t share those values nor does our military if you get excited by targeting of children. British interest first before Israeli coercion . We won’t fight their wars

        • Guess you side with Corbyn and his crew? “Our” military, and “our” intel works with Israel regularly, as do most Nato countries. We recently agreed a mutual aid arrangement on counter terrorism.
          You appear to confuse reality with emotional prejudice.
          Against Netanyahu? Many are against the UK government, so fatuous observation as it is called difference of opinion.
          One last word, Holocaust, yes that old chestnut forgotten by so many.
          Their war is our war, its called terrorism.
          Ignore that and you are just a fool.

        • The UK has never had to fight Israel’s wars. BTW, you have any idea how many children, old people, and other innocents were killed in World War Two by the Allies?

    • Okay, we’ll buy them LRASMs from those lovely, non-racist Americans. Or new generation Exocets from France, that bastion of tolerance for Islam. We could go Japanese, they’re so keen on dealing out death that they still use firing squads for criminals.Kongsberg’s NSM sounds good, lovely people them Norwegians (though don’t ask them about child protection and welfare, they won’t tell you anything under a cold sweat). Or like you said, we make them ourselves, because I’m sure we can McGuiver up something at a reasonable price, and it’s not like we’ll ever do anything controversial with or without them.

      Did I miss anyone? I love this game, give me a country and I’ll tell you it’s faults 😉

    • Just checking but have you stopped buying anything made in China, or made by child labour in any of a number of nations ?

      Dont get me wrong I’m all for principle. But they have never really applied in geopolitics or economics ( even on a personal level).

      Israel has a very imperfect government at present which has made some less than pleasant decisions. But then all governments in that region are less than pleasant when you get down to it. Even n our own neck of the woods. Look back at the actions of any number of western liberal democracies and you will find the same stink, any politic has always been willing to hold its nose and do what it needed for its own sake.

    • There is nothing liberal about James, he supports Hamas who supports genocide of Israeli Jews.
      Hamas defends Israel destruction, Hitler did not even defended the destruction of Britain…
      For comparison proposes i would like to think what James thinks about German occupation by Allies…

      • I think this pro Israel loonatic comments you are making just don’t wash with British people anymore nor with much of the world even most Israelis this days are sick of the regime there. Nobody can defend the crimes by Israel who has any sanity and humanity in themselves . Imprisonment of an entire population . With lockdowns alone most us saw how much it hurt people. Imagine Lockdown for decades, plus daily killings and economic embargo, even pasta can’t be imported in Gaza as it’s considered by Israel luxury food. Of course extremist would exploit people’s plight if they face such humanitarian catastrophe and that’s exactly what Israel wants so they can say we have foes there and play victim and get extremist pro Israeli like you try to brainwash and lobby people in the UK. No thanks ! British interest first We won’t fight Israeli wars. I support British industry period! Is that a crime ?

        • Given the sheer incompetent hatred that defines Israel’s opposition, I think actually thet most if not nearly all, people just dont care.

          As far as all but sychophantic fans of either side are concerned, both sides can just sit there and hate, maim, indimidate, oppress and kill each other as long as they want and “good luck to the winner”.

          Hence why nobody really cares if we do trade/buy stuff from them where that is of advantage to ourselves, noting Hamas et al, and their historical forebears, never actually created anything of value we’d want to trade with or buy.

          Hence why looking from afar, of the two sides, for all the legitimate criticism that can be thrown at Israel, it is still several orders of magnitude better in how it governs, looks after its own people and treats other people than it’s opposition. If there is to be a fight, which there is, it seems better it is the winner.

          Plus you have to hand it to the Israelis for playing a consistent blinder at surviving/winning despite being hugely outnumbered and crammed into a space (traditionally strategic factors that make defeat inevitable) – albeit helped by the rank incompetence of the Arabs due to legacy and continuing culture.

          So if their kit is good and works and cheap and so is better than alternatives, lets crack on and buy it ASAP.

        • It is Israel that is defending Palestinian lives. It is Israeli that does protected their civilian with warnings and active defense.
          If they did not protected their civilians they had many more reasons to attack Palestinians.

          And the inverse is precisely the Palestinian tactic that you support. Never protect our own because for any of our deaths we get political capital.
          That tell me about you: you don’t care about Palestinians. It is just hate against Israel.

          In Israel you have a political system that is rewarded by the less own victims.
          In Palestine you have a political system that is rewarded by more own victims.
          And it was the Western Political-Academic-Mediatic Left that build that Palestinian political reward system.

          “Imagine Lockdown for decades, plus daily killings and economic embargo, even pasta can’t be imported in Gaza as it’s considered by Israel luxury food.”
          I noticed you did answer about Allies occupying Germany. That tells me much. Do you think Germany would not be under occupation today without denazification?

    • 1) We should buy the best stand in weapon that will protect British Service men end of.
      2)Israel participates in the F35 supply chain so they are already a supplier and impossible to remove.
      3) We have a long term replacement coming from MBDA.

  11. One cannot but admire Israeli spunk, and Gabriel has a fine lineage. Still, I can recall reading an intel book where our security services were addressing efforts to counter potential foes’ military intellectual property theft. Just below that in terms of effort where two allies or all but – France and Israel. Not that they’d do that now, of course!

    • Thank you Gavin you made me smile.
      Who would have thought spooks would do such deeds?
      France l would not trust an inch.
      Israel? Given the history and the ongoing prejudice against that people I can understand Mossad.
      Regards

      • Given history? Why are they spying on the UK as you admit that we did to them to justify their spying activity ?? The FBI arrested many times Israeli spies who steal technology specially. It’s not
        a surprisee that Israeli PM boast about how Israel leads in cyper security sector, second to the US he claims despite its size. Many of the big companies transfer tech to Israel just as they did with China but even worse. Israel actively shares western tech with China with Huawei having investment worth over 14 billion in Israel , and a Chinese company operating a port there where US Navy destroyers dock which makes many US admirals angry. Lots of tech is stolen too by Israel. It’s the big elephant nobody talks about due to fear of being accused of anti-Semitism and today I understand ” liberal ” ? You could not make that one up

        • You are confused about the real world eh? Did you know we Boks had the bomb once? Yeah, we worked with Israel on it. The only country who had any balls to stand by us in a war against communism.
          History boet is a fact, Israel is about survival at any cost. How do you see Iran with a bomb? I know what I see. Not that it will ever happen of course.
          FYI, a liberal is one who bed wets at realpolitik.

          • I think I’d like to understand what you mean by “liberal” as you seem to be equating it with “weak”. Considering it was “”liberal” western democracies that destroyed: Japanese militarism, the Third Reich, kingdom of Italy and the USSR. With liberal democracies being the dominant political system on our planet I would say “Liberal” has not done badly for an idea that’s only really around 150ish years old.

            The “Weak” liberal democracies have ground every political system that ever challenged it into the dirt of history.

            I’m afraid that you are as mistaken as the present bunch of authoritarian leads if you equate liberal with weak. Russia and China have simply not crossed that line of no return as yet. Japan, third Reich and the fascist states all played the same game as Putin and lost when the line was crossed. The USSR tried a different game ( mainly because the weak liberals erased a couple of cities from existence with nuclear weapons as a way of explaining things about crossing lines) and still lost.

            Modern China is trying to use the Mercantile playbook, but that was actual written by a liberal power (Us and it’s how we sort of ended up owning a quarter of the world and creating Pretty much every other liberal democracy on the planet…even the US, although they will argue), and the liberal democracies are well aware of this and there will be a line somewhere, capitalism is the ultimate mercantile weapon and to really use that you need to be liberal ( so China will loss that game).

            Modern Russia is playing an old game and putin knows that for all his realpolitik he is in fact only really playing in his own little pond and pretending to be a big fish. The reality is Russia does not have the means to compete with any of the three key European nations as anything but an underdog, let alone the US or Nato as a whole.

            realpolitik is for the rudderless and weak, the strong have Geopolitical goals, plans and a moral compass that their strength allows them to follow.

            As a final note, Nothing China does is realpolitik, they have an ideology, a morality and a plan, they modified this with the fall of the USSR and are trying a different rout of attack. But unfortunately they are very much In the 21century version of the situation the central powers were in at the start of the early twentieth. They cannot face the western democracies militarily and at some point the western democracies are going to throw the weight of capitalism against the Chinese states mercantile activities as we know from history who wins that fight. So China is faced with a slowly declining situation ( that’s why they are becoming so offensive).

            So calling “liberals” weak is like claiming a lion will out fight a bull elephant just because the elephant eats plans and is not a predator. It’s just not based in reality or the history of geopolitics, which show when pushed liberal societies win and bury authoritarian societies along with a lot of dead.

          • Three words – Racist, Nazi, Liberal – all rendered devoid of real meaning and now irrelevant to debate through constant misuse.

        • Everyone spies on everyone else. If Chinese invents ” cold fusion” or anything else i certainly hope there is someone here that can get it.

          • Now cold fusion, there is blast from the past and a very dirty word, scientifically. But there are still some who try and push forward, it’s got a number of different names now, but is not a respectable area of research. You have to wonder if a bit of dodgy research early on has covered over some possibles…. unfortunately now it’s all it bit tin foil hat.

  12. So a Gabriel IV or V then, without the overtly Israeli name? Also kind of gels with the Sea Viper and Sea Venom missile systems we already have.
    At 960 kg, 240 kg warhead, 4.7 m L x 440 mm dia. it’s definitely towards the heavyweight AShM end of the scale, with a 200-400 km range.
    If the price is right, then I’d be OK with that, but I’m not sure how much better it is than Harpoon Block II. I guess it’s all about the software.
    To be honest though, aside from LRASM, I’d be happy with any of the missiles in the running. LRASM is too expensive, bigger than we need (450 kg warhead), and I believe is currently only air launched- meaning we’ll have to chip in for some level of surface launch development. I know that LM have already done some work with Mk41 and stuff, but until it’s been properly done with signatures and stuff then it doesn’t count and will still cost us!

      • Agreed, although I would add in smallprint: select the option that balances capability and cost so that we don’t scupper the slow rebuilding of naval capability the RN has been largely succeeding at- despite the odds.
        If it’s cheap enough, and does the job, I’m happy.

        • I read a theoretical discussion about Cummings departure awhile ago.
          Seems the knives were out from senior military, civil servants and industry because the guy was talking sense about procurement.
          Never underestimate the lobbyist.

          • ‘Theoretical’ interesting take on whether Cummings was talking sense or not. After all there are any number of theories on the way to an eventual truth… if one ever provenly gets there.

      • If Sea Serpent is Gabriel IV, then Wikipedia says it’s a 240 kg warhead, which is about 20 kg heavier than Harpoon. LRASM is a 450 kg warhead, so definitely in a bigger weight class. That’s all off Wikipedia, but they’re generally OK for the basic info like that.

      • Finland (Gabriel V supposedly) officially says the missile weights 1250kg so it is a heavy one.
        It should have an heavier warhead than Harpoon.

    • LRASM has already been successfully cannister launched and can also be integrated on to F35B and P8 Posiedon.it provides the best all round solution to all our requirements. There are some pretty impressive claims being made by the IAI about Sea Serpent, but I would be surprised if it is better than LRASM.

      • I’d agree that it’s unlikely to be better than LRASM, it’s not stealthy for a start. It’s also in a smaller weight class.
        While I know that they’ve carried out feasibiilty testing on surface launch from Mk41 and canisters, LM are not actively offering these options to anyone- only that they’re reducing the risks in preparation for the upcoming OASuW increment II competition. I believe they used a modified ASROC booster rocket to get it off the deck and a modified TLAM guidance control package to launch- that’s all kinds of ad hoc testing that wouldn’t cut it for a proper acceptance into service. That means that it’s possible but hasn’t been formally done; if we want it we’ll have to pay for first of a kind integration testing- which is expensive.
        Same with integration onto F-35B, no-one else wants it at the moment so we’ll have to pay for it- and given the current backlog of development for Block IV we won’t get it anytime soon. As for Poseidon, I do believe the USN started looking into integrating it last year, yes.
        All of this to say that it’s a great weapon, but isn’t formally offered in surface launch configuration and isn’t in service on any of our aircraft either. It’s also more expensive than any of the other options I’m aware of. As an interim solution that is supposed to be a simple and quick bolt on to our in-service vessels before FC/ASW comes online, I therefore don’t think it fits the bill to be honest.

        • Further cannister launches have been completed, but as of yet no one has ordered it. The US is looking to integrate on F35 and P8. The initial requirement was for a stop gap missile, but now clearly states ‘Next Generation’. Neither Sea serpent or Harpoon block 2 fall into that category. Its going to be interesting and I sincerely wonder if we’re are still seriously contemplating a purchase in 2030 bearing in mind we coukd purchase LRASM and Tomahawk.

      • LRASM is a sort of anti ship ARM missile with a fuzy guidance. It does not have a radar. So it is possible to be a step too far.

    • It’s being partnered by Thales, I wonder if it can be manufactured by Thales Shorts plant in NI. Gets around the controversy of a Israeli weapons system( like watchkeeper) also no ITAR and provides workshare in the UK.

      • I like that kind of thinking! I’m all for that, especially bringing workshare to parts of the UK that have been neglected for too long. There is a very strong link between social unrest and financial deprivation- bringing in new jobs to NI may not fix the recent upsurge in violence that we’ve seen, but it will go some way towards helping.

  13. apologies all

    how much does this cost? I must be going blind as I can’t see the cost in article but comments state it is inexpensive for what it is?

    • Range: over 200 km
      Seeker: Active radar seeker with advanced anti-jam features, all-weather capability, wide search range and good discrimination resolution
      Warhead: Penetrating warhead
      Engine: Jet engine
      Navigation: GPS / INS, multiple waypoints
      Length: 5.5 m
      Weight: 1250 kg
      Speed: Subsonic
      Manufactured by Israel Aerospace Industries, IAI

  16. Based on previous experience we’ll spend 2 years “discussing” it, decide we want a “British” version will treble the price and end up buying 12.

  17. Not stealthy or supersonic. Probably designed to be used in and around the Med/Persian Gulf area and not the North Atlantic or Pacific areas. Would think the NSM would be a better choice.

  20. Definitely worth the RN having a look at Serpent. My guess is that it or NSM are the best contenders although Harpoon2 may come in as the simplest upgrade and there is always price, fitting and logistics etc to consider.

  21. If they made a Shoulder Launched Version we could carry them on the Rivers too…… I know, It’s such a brilliant Idea !!!!

    • And Eco and Enterprise and even Gleaner, they could in time of need reclassify Gleaner as a slow attack craft.

    • Cap you make me laugh. The Rivers 1 and 2 are all large enough for substantial upgrades. As you know, they are corvette sized vessels.
      A Saar2 type corvette would serve the RN very usefully. Im thinking ASW optimized with bow sonar, UAVs, Torpedoes and a Helo. Plus Sea ceptor, cannister launched Serpent/ Harpoon2, NSM and a BAE 56mm gun. Job done. Got to be able to buy 5-6 of those for the cost of a single type 26 undergunned behmoth.

  22. Considering Israel’s human rights record and illegal occupation of the West Bank no Israeli weapons should be considered under any circumstances. Buying their weapons supports their behaviour.

  24. Gabriel-5:1250kg. Engine- “SOREK-4″(Israel), thrust-367 kgf. Tomahawk: 1310kg engine- f(F107) thrust-272/318 kgf. “Мore than 200 km.”- ha-ha… Аccording to some reports from Russia, with a nuclear warhead (200 kg. 150/200 kiloton)- 1000 km. minimum.

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