US Warship Sunk Off Scotland During Joint Military Exercise
The decommissioned USS Klakring was targeted by missiles and torpedoes as part of Exercise Atlantic Thunder 2026.
A decommissioned United States warship was deliberately sunk off the coast of Scotland last Monday as part of a joint training exercise involving U.S. and UK armed forces.
The former guided missile frigate, USS Klakring, was hit by a missile launched from the USS Paul Ignatius and a torpedo fired from the USS Massachusetts. The exercise, known as Atlantic Thunder 2026, took place in the North Atlantic approximately 170 miles off the Outer Hebrides. The Royal Navy also participated by testing "ship-busting" weapons during the drills.
The USS Klakring, commissioned in 1983 and decommissioned in 2013, was named after Rear Adm. Thomas B. Klakring, who received three U.S. Navy Crosses during World War Two for his submarine command. The sinking of such vessels is a practice employed by the U.S. Navy for training purposes and, in some cases, to create artificial reefs.
The U.S. Navy stated that rigorous environmental protocols were followed before the live-firing exercise commenced. This included a thorough cleaning process to remove potential contaminants and old equipment. Additionally, personnel confirmed the absence of whales and dolphins in the exercise area prior to the engagement. "Sinking ex-navy vessels, which are specially prepared as targets, provides a practicable method for conducting large scale exercises of this type, to train at the high level required by the armed forces," a Navy spokesperson noted.