Karel Doorman-class frigate BNS Louise-Marie F931 recently became the first Belgian Navy ship to fire the Harpoon anti-ship missile during live firing drills off Norway.
The event, which took place off Tromsø, Norway, from May 28 to 31, was captured on video and shared by the Belgian Navy.
Though the Harpoon is a primary surface weapon on the Karel Dorman-class frigates, the Belgian Navy had never used it before due to the high cost of the missile and limited inventory.
The maiden Harpoon firing was a success, Lieutenant Commander Nicolas Van Damme explained with the missile hitting a radar reflector target which was positioned on a raft about 17 nautical miles (about 31.5 km) from the ship.
In addition to the Harpoon, BNS Louise Marie also tested its Sea Sparrow anti-aircraft missile, the 76 mm OTO Melara gun and the Goalkeeper close in weapon system.
The firings were carried out as part of an international missile exercise called Mjolnir, which is known as the hammer of Thor in Norse mythology. A total of six ships participated in the firings which mostly took place at night to avoid traffic at sea.