‘Ship killer’: Australian navy launches new firepower

Australia’s guided missile destroyer HMAS Sydney has successfully fired its new weapon known as the “ship killer”. See the video.

Australia’s navy has just become one of the world’s most lethal with the successful first firing of the missile dubbed the “ship killer”.

RAN destroyer HMAS Sydney has conducted the first successful firing of the Naval Strike Missile (NSM) during war games with the US and 27 other nations off the coast of Hawaii.

The revelation the guided missile destroyer is now armed with NSMs will come as a test for military-to-military relations with China since the warship is currently spearheading a four-month regional deployment during high tensions, notably in the South China Sea and Taiwan Straits.

The firing at the Rimpac 2024 exercise is a major milestone toward achieving the objectives of the National Defence Strategy to have a long-range maritime deterrence.

Australia’s navy has just become one of the world’s most lethal with the successful first firing of the missile dubbed the “ship killer”. Picture: DFAT

The Norwegian developed Naval Strike Missile is an anti-ship missile that has a range of more than 250km and is being integrated into the arsenals of several Australian warships.

Chief of Navy Vice Admiral Mark Hammond said acquisitions like the Naval Strike Missile were foundational toward deterring potential adversaries attempting to “project power” against Australia.

“HMAS Sydney’s firing of a Naval Strike Missile during RIMPAC 2024 represents a significant increase in the lethality of our surface fleet, and delivers on our commitment to accelerate the introduction of enhanced lethality strike capabilities,” he said.

“Naval Strike Missile is a key capability for the lethality enhancement and survivability of our ships and enables our ability to hold an adversary at risk at greater range.”

RAN destroyer HMAS Sydney. Picture: DFAT

Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy said the firing was an excellent example of Defence and its international partners including Norwegian Kongsberg Defence Australia working together to accelerate the delivery of new capabilities.

“Australia’s strategic environment is changing rapidly, the introduction of Naval Strike Missiles allows our Navy’s surface ships to conduct long range maritime strikes and delivers on our promise to increase the capability and lethality of our Navy,” he said.

HMAS Sydney arrives in Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii in preparation for Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2024. Picture: Defence Imagery

The introduction of the Tomahawk missile capability to Australia’s warships, with a maximum range in excess of 2500km, will further increase the lethality.

In April 2022, the Australian government announced the accelerated acquisition of the missile to replace Harpoon anti-ship missiles.

It was the US Navy that dubbed the missile the “ship killer” for its punch and over-the-horizon capability, when it first made the acquisition in 2019.