UK: HMS Diamond Fires Main Armament for First Time

Seconds later the missile did just that, knocking a jet drone out of the sky – thus confirming the main weapon system of the Portsmouth-based destroyer.

Sea Viper – a combination of Aster missiles, Sampson radar (the spinning spikey egg atop Diamond’s main mast), a combat and command system (the brains) and a silo on the forecastle containing the Sylver vertical launch system – can destroy a target the size of a cricket ball travelling at Mach 3.

With the words: ‘Standby for Sea Viper function’, one of the silo doors flipped open. In an instant the missile burst through the membrane covering its ‘home’, sending debris whirling around the forecastle, which was hidden by an instantaneous flash of fire and smoke as the missile accelerated to its target.

Bird away.

In this case, Diamond’s prey was a Mirach drone – a 13ft remote-controlled jet which flies at speeds of up to of 530kts (more than 600mph) from altitudes as low as 10ft or as high as 40,000ft for up to 90 minutes.

The successful Sea Viper firing is the culmination of a busy year for Diamond.  She was accepted into the Navy under 11 months ago and is due to deploy in a matter of week – making her the fastest frigate or destroyer in recent memory to go from ‘joining up’ to deploying.

Along the way the ship’s company have worked tirelessly to meet all the strict training requirements as well as making sure the ship remains at the highest state of maintenance.

That training was largely delivered by staff from the Flag Officer Sea Training organisation in Plymouth. They tested Diamond in everything she is expected to encounter from skirmishes with fast attack craft to high-intensity conflict as part of a task group against sustained air, surface and submarine attacks simulated by real jets, ships and submarines.

The ship’s company proved they could deal with these evolutions, as well as fighting fires and floods at the same time.  But warfighting is not the only task a modern and versatile ship like Diamond may be called upon to undertake, so she was assessed on how she dealt with humanitarian operations like disaster relief and civilian evacuations.

Her training concluded last week taking part in the biggest military exercise in Europe this year, Joint Warrior.

Diamond joined ships from six different nations, as well as land and air units operating in and around western Scotland, as part of a fictional task group conducting peacekeeping operations in an unstable and volatile environment.

As well as final preparations for her deployment later this spring, given the ship’s name she’ll be playing an important role in the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

“I am immensely proud of what my Ship’s Company has accomplished in such a short space of time,” said Diamond’s Commanding Officer Cdr Ian Clarke.

“Ever since I took command of this ship in 2010 my focus has been to see the ship declared ready for operations within this time scale.”

“Our job when we deploy will be to bring stability and security to international trade routes and protecting our nation’s interests abroad; a job we are now trained and ready to do.”

[mappress]
Naval Today Staff, May 02, 2012; Image: royalnavy