The Royal Netherlands Navy has completed a live-firing exercise off the UK coast focused on countering drone swarm threats, during the first participation by a NATO ally in Exercise Sharpshooter, according to Qinetiq.
The activity took place over three days at the MOD Aberporth range in Wales, where the Dutch frigate HNLMS Evertsen operated around 20 miles offshore. The exercise combined live and synthetic scenarios designed to replicate emerging threats faced by naval forces in contested environments.
During the serials, the ship was targeted by simulated aerial and surface drone attacks. QinetiQ’s Banshee Whirlwind aerial drone targets and Hammerhead uncrewed surface vehicles were used, alongside virtual threats intended to mirror more complex attack profiles. According to QinetiQ, HNLMS Evertsen successfully tracked and neutralised five aerial targets and also engaged and sank two Hammerhead uncrewed surface vehicles during the exercise.
The overall scenario was designed by QinetiQ-owned Inzpire and centred on the defence of critical assets at sea. Tactical specialists combined live targets with synthetic inputs representing cruise missiles, ballistic missiles and hostile aircraft, testing shipboard procedures from detection through to engagement.
Commander Marcel Keveling of the Royal Netherlands Navy said: “HNLMS Evertsen and the Royal Netherlands Navy are grateful to have trained on such an immersive level. To be able to fire at live targets and keep our crew in a higher state of readiness for multiple days has taught us many lessons we aim to take with us when sailing on an operational level.”
He added: “Especially in the ever-changing world of today we find it important to train as realistically as possible, this exercise was a prime example of that.”
QinetiQ said Exercise Sharpshooter is intended to provide highly realistic training by blending live firings with digital and synthetic environments, allowing complex threat patterns to be rehearsed safely.
Will Blamey, Chief Executive for UK Defence at QinetiQ, said: “With interoperability between nations more important than ever, these exercises give the UK and its allies the opportunity to train alongside each other, sharing tactics and learnings to improve readiness.”
He added: “By blending live and synthetic training with advanced capabilities, we help allied forces stay battle-ready and make confident decisions in a fast-changing threat environment.”
QinetiQ is a major provider of test and evaluation and training services for the UK armed forces. Through its Long-Term Partnering Agreement with the Ministry of Defence, the company operates 16 sites across the UK supporting land, sea and air activity.
The company noted that earlier last year Royal Navy destroyer HMS Dauntless conducted similar drone defence training during a Sharpshooter exercise ahead of deployment with the UK Carrier Strike Group. Additional QinetiQ-supported exercises in 2025 included Exercise Med Strike in the Mediterranean and Formidable Shield off Scotland, both involving multinational participation and a wide range of aerial and missile threats.
Not another one?
Gonna trigger Halfwit throwing the S word around like that.
It did the first time they posted this exact article, and the second. Something’s up with the UKDJ scheduling system.
I want to know if the RN can do this or not. That’s what counts not what the Dutch can do. I think we are fast asleep due to DEI- Woke- Common Purpose thinking. We need to return to what worked for us.( As an example, the Ukrainians)
We invented so much to do with aircraft at sea. We need to get back to this pioneering spirit and dump Treasury Think.
That FOST are the standard for training other nations to do air defence should tell you something about how our own capabilities are viewed by the rest of Europe.
Ha ha – very good!
5 aerial targets is hardly a swarm!
Perhaps, but if 5 aerial threats in bound at 450 knots all appear over the horizon at the same time and from different directions it’s still a credible work out and an opportunity to ensure that on board systems don’t interfere or behave unpredictably when they’re needed to work. Always best to iron out the bugs in peace time exercises like this. It only took 2 missiles to sink the Moskva after all (I’m sure Dutch crews are more capable but does show what’s possible with relatively small numbers of assets when deployed effectively, even against a multi-layered defence)
Is it, though?
Are five targets a “credible work out” in a world where an actual opponent might launch 500, not in a properly coordinated time-on-target attack, but “vaguely to arrive in about the same minute”?
Agreed the rule of 8 applies. To be sure anyone will launch at least a salvo of 8.
It’swarm today, 😉
5? Come back and talk to us when you’ve managed 50 at a time.
Stop fear-mongering by using rhe strapline you have. It’s a test not a real issue.
yep – kinda caught me out as well!