U.S. and UK Sink Former Frigate to Validate Joint Maritime Strike in Atlantic Thunder Exercise

U.S. and British forces sank the decommissioned frigate USS Klakring during Exercise Atlantic Thunder to validate a combined maritime strike chain. HMS Portland fired a Naval Strike Missile, a Wildcat helicopter launched Sea Venom, USS Paul Ignatius contributed to the attack and submarine USS Massachusetts completed the sinking with a Mk 48 torpedo. The event tested how allied sensors, command networks, aircraft, ships and submarines could coordinate against a realistic naval target, while also generating performance data from multiple weapons in one controlled exercise. Environmental controls governed the selection and preparation of the wreck.