HMS Defender, one of the Royal Navy’s six Type 45 destroyers, is in the midst of a significant refit that will substantially increase its missile capacity.
Images shared by naval observer Steve Wenham shows the installation of a new 24-cell vertical launch system (VLS) for the Sea Ceptor surface-to-air missile.
The new silo is being mounted forward of Defender’s existing Sylver A50 launchers, which currently house the longer-ranged Aster family of missiles. Work at Portsmouth shows advanced preparations clearly under way for fitting.
The modification represents a major firepower increase. Sea Ceptor, also known as the Common Anti-air Modular Missile (CAMM), provides short-to-medium range protection against aircraft and missiles. By adding 24 dedicated cells for CAMM, Defender’s close-in air defence capacity rises by around 50 percent. Crucially, the change also frees up all 48 Sylver cells to be devoted entirely to Aster 30 long-range interceptors.
In practice, the addition means a single Type 45 destroyer could now field both more missiles overall and a sharper mix between long-range area defence and short-range point defence. The refit is part of a broader programme of Capability Insertion Periods across the destroyer class, intended to extend service life and address long-standing gaps in weapons loadout.
Sea Ceptor has already been proven at sea with the Royal Navy’s Type 23 frigates and is a central element of the new Type 26 and Type 31 programmes. It uses active radar homing and a soft-launch system, allowing more missiles to be carried in compact vertical cells. The system can engage multiple targets simultaneously and is considered highly resistant to electronic countermeasures.
For Defender, the upgrade brings the ship closer to the level of layered air defence seen in comparable European fleets, where a combination of long-range and short-range interceptors is standard. It also increases the destroyer’s ability to operate independently in contested environments or as a high-end escort for carriers and amphibious groups.
When complete, Defender’s refit will mark one of the most visible missile upgrades to a Royal Navy warship in decades.
It’s a welcome upgrade especially with NSM being added however I still feel the space would have been better used by a Mk41 VLS. Having 16 Strike length VLS on T45 would have been a real game changer and would have opened up the possibility for SM6, SM3, TLAM, LRASM as well a multi packed CAMM MR or ER.
That being said having 74 top rate SAM missiles and up to eight next generation anti ship missiles is an immense capability that few European vessels can rival.
It’s not really about what European vessels capabilities are, it’s what our our probable opponents capabilities are, and that is a completely different story.
Yes you are correct, out probably opponent is Russia and they don’t even have a multi VLS system or much of a surface navy.
I would say there is a far greater likelihood that the RN ends up in a conflict with the PLAN.
‘That being said having 74 top rate SAM missiles and up to eight next generation anti ship missiles is an immense capability that few European vessels can rival.’
Indeed – I believe the only comparable vessel is the Spanish F100 (Alvaro de Bazan-class frigates), which carry just 48 Mk41 cells but can leverage quad-packed ESSM Block 1 to carry a maximum of 192 missiles (though a more realistic load would incorporate the single-packed SM-2 in large numbers).
Yes Jim. If we have to settle for 4×6 CAMM silos some more questions. Could they even put another 2×6 on the hangar? Not too heavy, space is there but maybe too close to the main radar. Take the missile loads over 80.
Why are they putting a square CAMM cannister into a round silo? If they made a more milk crate silo they might be able to get 9-12 CAMM in the same footprint? Heavier and costlier but in effect a mini mk41. My 5c. But, additional weaponry for the T45s is obviously welcome.
With small size and cold gas ejection you can put CAMM any where, even on a canister on the deck. That’s what makes it such an amazing system.
Seems a total waste to use the part at the front reserved for strike length VLS but if it’s not being used for Mk41 then it’s the easiest cheapest place to fit CAMM.
Though if they had gone with quad packable ExLS (non mk41 insert version), they could have doubled the load out (48 CAMM).
Good news to wake to!
Being a tad thick but can the CAMMS be quad packed in the Sylver VLS?
Supposedly, though they’ve never been integrated.
Even so, this move is probably the better option, as all 48 Sylver VLS cells will be used exclusively for the Aster.
*Aster-30
Thanks. Couldnt find anything concrete as to if we do that. T-45 going on and up!
It can’t quad pack but they examined triple pack but never followed through as no demand.
Good, it shows that she is proceeding along with her planned upgrades, hopefully by this time next year she will be finished, back to sea and undergoing FOST.
Any bets on her beating Daring ?
(don’t pick on me, I have issues)
Darning.. is like my sons Lego models, half the bits are missing.
Yay, some good news at last.
Hopefully we will look to buy improved Aster-30s to fill some of the Aster 15 slots.
NSM would make these vessels the package they should always have been and the standard for the Type 83 design.
Good news, will there be enough missiles to back up the up grade. Most times ships do not carry a full load and wonder if all six were to how much spare ammo would be left? Sadly we buy great kit, etc but try so save money in the short term and our ammo stocks are not high at the best of times. Not sure what the Army will do with up 70 MLRS A2, that is lot of rockets we likely do not have.
Its an issue that needs addressing ie ammo stocks, just very un sure it will be, bean counters will want to save money some where.
It is good news or a sign of things to come.
48 aster 30 and 24 CAMM is a respectable load. Now we just need to see NSM to give it some strike capability and the gun armament replaced for something suitable for a 21c AAW ship ( pull out the 4.5inch and stick in a 57mm, replace the 30mm with 40mm and add a DEW and jobs good).