Royal Navy Shows Off Its Firepower

Two Royal Navy frigates have demonstrated their spectrum of firepower capability with firings at separate ends of the country.

Portsmouth-based HMS Iron Duke blasted through five different weapon systems – her General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMGs), the Minigun, 30mm Cannon, 4.5” Medium Range Gun and the Seawolf missile system – in the English Channel.

Up in Cape Wrath, Scotland, Devonport-based HMS Somerset became the first ship to fire new infra-red illumination rounds which are designed to light up the battlefield for friendly forces wearing appropriate eyewear.
HMS Somerset worked with spotters from 148 (Meiktila) Battery Royal Artillery whose job was to direct the ship’s fire accurately and safely on to a target at distances over 21 kilometres.

148 Battery is part of the Royal Marines’ 3 Commando Brigade, drawing personnel from the RN, RM and Army.

Over two days and nights the ship fired in excess of 100 rounds of 4.5in ammunition – with each shell weighing over 40kg.

Starting with target tracking runs on the Seawolf missile system, HMS Iron Duke then moved into a gunnery shoot against an inflatable target, finishing with firing a Seawolf missile.

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Image: Royal Navy