Sea Ceptor Missiles: Royal Navy Reveals New Air Defence System

Sea Ceptor

PA/Huffington Post UK   First Posted: 30/01/2012 06:33 Updated: 30/01/2012 06:40

The Royal Navy has revealed details of a new air defence system capable of destroying enemy missiles travelling at supersonic speeds.

The news comes as former Army chief Sir Mike Jackson questioned Britain’s ability to wage a future Falklands-style conflict without aircraft carriers.

Sea Ceptor missiles fired from Navy warships will reach speeds of up to Mach 3 and can protect an area of around 500 sq miles over land or sea.

The £483 million contract to develop the cutting-edge missile defence system has been awarded to MBDA (UK).

The Ministry of Defence said the five-year project would sustain around 500 jobs in MBDA and its supply chain in facilities across the UK including at Stevenage in Hertfordshire, Filton in South Gloucestershire and Lostock in Bolton.

Sea Ceptor will initially be used on the Navy's Type 23 frigates, but in the future it could be adapted for use by the Army and RAF.

Defence Equipment Minister Peter Luff said: "The development of this missile system is a huge boost to the UK's world-leading missile industry and once again proves our commitment to providing battle-winning technology to our armed forces."

The head of the Navy, Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope, added: "This new weapon system will equip our frigates to deal with the type of sophisticated missile threat expected in the coming decades.

"Investment in advanced defence technology, such as Sea Ceptor, is vital to ensure the Royal Navy's continued ability to defend the UK's interests wherever necessary."

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The Royal Navy has revealed details of a new air defence system capable of destroying enemy missiles travelling at supersonic speeds. The news comes as former Army chief Sir Mike Jackson questioned...
The Royal Navy has revealed details of a new air defence system capable of destroying enemy missiles travelling at supersonic speeds. The news comes as former Army chief Sir Mike Jackson questioned...
 
 
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16:50 on 01/02/2012
From their locations in UK and their HQ address in London MBDA looks as thought it is a lot to do with BA in which case it is probable that anything they supply will be late and over budget even it if works!
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Roommate
Compounding Money, Cause Seed > Effect Tree
13:21 on 01/02/2012
You don't need defense once you have nukes
15:53 on 01/02/2012
Actually you do. For example you can never use a nuke for a conflict like Falkland. You would lose all respect and any friends for decades. Besides you could not inhabit the Falklands ever again. So what's the point of using a nuke. Let alone the moral disaster. The same kind of arguments can be applied to Serbia, Palestine to name just two other examples.
So what you need are different weapons for flexible and appropriate action. This, by the way, was also the doctrine during the cold war.
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Roommate
Compounding Money, Cause Seed > Effect Tree
17:01 on 01/02/2012
No country would dare to attack you if you have nukes so you don't need to spend billions in other types of missiles
18:24 on 31/01/2012
Dear Iran pm
can we please delay ww3 as we r not ready, can come to play in about 5yrs
David uk pm (IRON MAN)
21:48 on 31/01/2012
Don't worry about WW3, just ask the Argies to wait five years before they take back there islands.
00:44 on 01/02/2012
Can wait they want to defeat u when your weak you can't best them alone
07:26 on 31/01/2012
The only weakness on the missile is the delivery system! They use Royal Mail and unless you pay extra it will not get there till day after tomorrow .
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PhilEssex
Statistically, 6 out of 7 dwarves are not happy.
00:36 on 01/02/2012
Hahahaha
06:15 on 31/01/2012
The UK is our number one alli, period.. Congrads to them for building this weapon.. USA, UK and Isreal, Major players. Also, Kudo's to all of America's Allies! I do not think Iran really and truly wants a peice of the trash they talk..
04:54 on 31/01/2012
The British missiles can not hit its target, the Falkland war proved that, I wonder if this new generation missile can distinguish a ship from a sheep.
07:23 on 31/01/2012
What! Now u want to kill sheep on the island now?
07:28 on 31/01/2012
What! Now you want the ships to target sheep on the island, be careful they could be SBS.
21:36 on 30/01/2012
The UK has high end technology which is good.

The problems with the UK economy are...

1. For 12 years under labour 30% of our school leavers left without any education, going straight onto welfare.
2. Taxes are too high and preventing businesses form hiring.
3. University costs are too high preventing thousands of smart kids for adding to the knowledge base of the country by not going to university.

Until these problems are fixed the UK will stagnate I am afraid.
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John Roman
Sitting on a cornflake..
16:51 on 31/01/2012
Labour hasn't been in power for awhile now has it?
22:39 on 31/01/2012
no but they did enough damage that coupled with a world recession will take ages to clean up
00:47 on 01/02/2012
Taxes people on benefit That why they all want to come to the uk because they can live on benifit and have kids and get more benifits the country of people living on benifits
20:15 on 30/01/2012
The British are laughing at our American Empire and plotting secretly to retake their colonies + 37 other states back with their superior missiles to restore the British Empire. Take cover!
16:59 on 31/01/2012
Ha ha now that's funny as history had told the uk us 13 colonies and the war with argintina
That they are great no longer
00:48 on 01/02/2012
They can't take jake they can't take care of there own people or defend them selfs with out our help
17:03 on 01/02/2012
Who is "they", the Americans or the British?
20:07 on 01/02/2012
who's Jake and what has he done to offend the UK ?
19:22 on 30/01/2012
Its all very well and good saying the Mr Bean's navy will valiantly defend the Falklands, but what happens when the enemy decides not to play fair and get shot at in an orderly military manner. What happens if they sneakily mount an airborne assault on that wonderfully useful Falklands airbase, thus circumventing the need for moving anything by sea just like we were planning on doing so. Do you think they might offer an apology for not following the script and agree to do it properly in future. I think we are going to realise too late that Fortress Falklands is going to turn out to be exactly the same as Fortress Singapore. We really are abject fools for not defending ourselves properly and relying on the goodwill of our allies - the USA, France and Germany.
22:43 on 31/01/2012
don't recall any help coming from those quarters in 1982. cant remember seeing any of their troops or ships or planes helping us out. Do recall french missiles helping though.... shame it was the argentinians that they were helping though
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PhilEssex
Statistically, 6 out of 7 dwarves are not happy.
00:39 on 01/02/2012
Forget France, their probably selling missiles to the Argies as I type, just like they did in the first Falklands War, never trust a Frog.
20:11 on 01/02/2012
all the Exocets were sold to Argentina prior to the Falklands war..just like all the equipment we sold to them before the war...during the war they actually gave the UK the computer codes for the Exocets and also provided prior to the carriers leaving the UK air to air familiarisation combat training for the Sea Harriers with aircraft of the same model as Argentinian ones
19:12 on 30/01/2012
The UK didnt provide its troops fighting in Afghanistan with proper equipment whilst spending an enormous fortune on equipment for some unspecified future war ! Lets be honest this is more about an ego trip for Generals and Admirals and an enormously profitable opportunity for the 'Merchants of Doom'. the armaments manufacturers.
19:03 on 30/01/2012
Humans are violent by nature, a zebra cannot change its spots, stop complaining about new weapons and embrace them, if god wanted us to be peaceful, it would be in our genitic makeup, we are a warrior race always have been always will be, just accept what you are. I am not trying to be funny this is just the way I see it. on the other hand, the only way for there to be peace, is to have only one government,
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omgomghaxx
16:57 on 30/01/2012
It's amazing that us as a human species worry more about defending ourselves from each other than coming together and helping each other... BUT then again... It's gods way.. Why do I say this?

long bible verse I don't believe in god BUT I do believe that god was right that if we all came together nothing would be impossible for us to do ( which implies we would be gods ourselves)...

"They are one people and have one language, and nothing will be impossible from them which they purpose to do." So God said, "Come, let us go down and confound their speech." And so God scattered them upon the face of the Earth, and confused their languages, and they left off building the city, which was called Babel "because God there confounded the language of all the Earth."
17:08 on 30/01/2012
I'm not religious but I like your angle.

Intraspecial aggression is common to all living things (I think?). In normal circumstances it has many evolutionary benefits.

The level of aggression is probably dependent on the size of the groups, and may increase exponentially. We now have massive aggregations of seemingly peaceful people living on top of each other. When the veneer peels back, it will be a doozy of a slaughter.
10:33 on 01/02/2012
You are right and Revelation 6:4 prophecied that peace would be taken away from the earth so that they should slaughter one another. So if we take part in all the hatred we could be part of this slaughter campaign. This is heading towards what the bible calls the War of the Great Day of the Almighty at Armageddon. Revelation 16:14 This explains that our Governments are being led by demonic powers. It says "They are in fact expressions inspired by demons and perform sign, and they go forth to the kings of the earth".
20:17 on 01/02/2012
it's nice to have an imaginary friend
15:31 on 30/01/2012
All fine and well, though could all this money not
been better spent on a cure for cancer ect.
Defence is important, but we have yet too find a
cure for cancer.
wes
20:55 on 30/01/2012
They do have a cure for cancer: HDUI it will effectively cure cure all cancers with 10 -15 yrs
00:47 on 31/01/2012
they told us this 50 years ago, wes
16:08 on 31/01/2012
I fear there will never be a cure for cancer---------there's just too much money to be made from cancer drugs and cancer treatments. But I hope and pray that I'm wrong.
15:28 on 30/01/2012
Take that, Argentina!
17:10 on 31/01/2012
Take what if it wasn't for America they would have beaten u
They sunk your navy. come on now wake up
If we didn't provide u with the sub ibms u would not be able
To protect your nation and now look at your navy airforce and army
Navy no aircraft. Carriers they have to depend on France
Army more cuts airforce cuts you even have trouble
Stopping roits u have to call an American to help u!
20:18 on 01/02/2012
I rather think any equipment from the US was not donated as a charitable gift
20:40 on 01/02/2012
btw roits ?..are they some kind of French pastry ?
00:52 on 01/02/2012
Take what they are laughing at the uk they sink your navy now there ready to start again and they will beat u with out your nuclear subs you will not win a war
20:42 on 01/02/2012
still ranger,,I suppose in the Falklands war each side managed to shoot at each other rather than their allies
15:17 on 30/01/2012
RN qctive vessels con't:

Submarines

Astute-class submarine (Fleet submarine/SSN)
HMS Astute (S119)

Trafalgar-class submarines (Fleet submarines/SSNs)

HMS Tireless HMS Turbulent (S87)
HMS Tireless (S88)
HMS Torbay (S90)
HMS Trenchant (S91)
HMS Talent (S92)
HMS Triumph (S93)

Vanguard-class submarines (Ballistic submarines/SSBNs)
HMS Vanguard (S28)
HMS Victorious (S29)
HMS Vigilant (S30)
HMS Vengeance (S31)

Varous roles:

HMS Ledbury HMS Ledbury (M30)
HMS Cattistock (M31)
HMS Brocklesby (M33)
HMS Middleton (M34)
HMS Chiddingfold (M37)
HMS Atherstone (M38)
HMS Hurworth (M39)
HMS Quorn (M41)
HMS Penzance (M106)
HMS Pembroke (M107)
HMS Grimsby (M108)
HMS Bangor (M109)
HMS Ramsey (M110)
HMS Blyth (M111)
HMS Shoreham (M112)
HMS Archer and HMS Example
HMS Protector (A173)
HMS Endurance (A171)
HMS Mersey (P283)
HMS Severn (P282)
HMS Tyne (P281)
HMS Clyde (P257)
HMS Archer (P264)
HMS Biter (P270)
HMS Smiter (P272)
HMS Blazer (P279)
HMS Puncher (P291)
HMS Charger (P292)
HMS Ranger (P293)
HMS Trumpeter (P294)
HMS Express (P163)
HMS Example (P165)
HMS Explorer (P164)
HMS Exploit (P167)
HMS Tracker (P274)
HMS Raider (P275)
HMS Pursuer (P273)
HMS Dasher (P280)
HMS Scimitar (P284)
HMS Sabre (P285)
HMS Enterprise
HMS Echo (H87)
HMS Enterprise (H88)
HMS Scott (H131)
HMSML Gleaner (H86)

A lot of these ships are the best in the world. And like my brother in law, the people that serve on these vessels are very proud to do so and are among the best trained in the world too!!!
ThinkCreeps
Seriously, it's time.
15:43 on 31/01/2012
Many are decidedly long in the tooth.

However, you're right about the crews. There is a good reason that the US forces are correctly described as world's best equipped.
01:00 on 01/02/2012
Yep us navy is the best and largest in the world and best equipped on the world