Royal Navy destroyer HMS Duncan has successfully tracked and neutralised multiple drone threats during a live-fire training exercise off the Welsh coast, as part of a QinetiQ-led programme designed to replicate modern warfare conditions.
Exercise Sharpshooter, a four-day event delivered in collaboration with Fleet Operational Standards and Training, placed the Type 45 destroyer in a high-intensity scenario involving simultaneous aerial and surface threats, according to QinetiQ.
The scenario, developed by QinetiQ-owned Inzpire, combined live and synthetic elements, with the ship targeted by Banshee Whirlwind aerial drones and Hammerhead uncrewed surface vessels, alongside simulated cruise missiles, anti-ship ballistic missiles and hostile aircraft.
The training environment at MOD Aberporth was designed to test the full spectrum of the ship’s combat system, from detection through to engagement, across both day and night conditions.
During the exercise, HMS Duncan’s crew tracked and neutralised five aerial targets and destroyed two surface drones, meeting all assigned objectives.
Will Blamey, Chief Executive, UK Defence at QinetiQ, said the exercise was intended to reflect the complexity of contemporary threats. “Our combination of live and synthetic threats mean we can deliver training scenarios that provide the very latest in threat representation, helping our warfighters to achieve mission-readiness at pace.”
Commander Dan Lee, commanding officer of HMS Duncan, said the realism of the scenario allowed the ship’s company to operate as they would on deployment. “The realism of Sharpshooter… gave my Ship’s Company the opportunity to prove they are ready to defend, ready to fight and ready to win.”
He added that the crew left the exercise “more confident, more capable and better prepared.”
QinetiQ said the exercise forms part of its wider role in delivering test and training across land, air, sea and cyber domains. Similar activity has included participation by allied navies, with the Dutch frigate HNLMS Evertsen taking part in a previous iteration aimed at improving NATO interoperability.
Ok this is actually getting silly now
It does seem that we have a lot of T45 on training missions and none on combat deployment where they are currently desperately needed.
Same T45 doing the same training serial, over and over again. Something is broken in UKDJ’s article release system.
Yes. HMS Duncan has reportedly attended “Sharpshooter” 5 times since February 2026 it would seem.
it makes the RN look bigger, busier and better all round.
More articles like this and the fleet will not fit in Cardigan Bay.
Get a grip.