The British Royal Navy is exploring the possibility of outfitting its newest class of destroyers with a ballistic missile defense capability.
The Defence Ministry said this week it wants to examine the potential for the Type 45 destroyers to play a role in defending the United Kingdom and allies from the threat of ballistic missiles. The ministry said it will build on its relationship with the Pentagon’s Missile Defense Agency to look at the option.
The U.S. Navy and Missile Defense Agency (MDA) have had a dozen successful sea-based intercepts with the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense system, which is deployed on destroyers and cruisers.
The joint Defence Ministry and industry-run U.K. Missile Defence Center (MDC) plans to take part in a trial that for the first time will use a Type 45 in a research and development program with their American counterparts.
That will involve testing the Sampson radar, which is part of the Sea Viper missile system, in detecting and tracking ballistic missiles, the ministry said.
The is no program to deploy ballistic missile defense on Type 45s but the MDC has in recent years been exploring the option for the destroyers.
“It will be a step change to be able to work so closely with such a ship in an emerging area of defense,” MDC head Simon Pavitt said in a statement. “Working with an operational platform will make a significant difference to our level of understanding and could contribute both financially and technically towards any future program.”