QinetiQ has successfully delivered Sharpshooter, a four-day live-firing exercise off the Welsh coast, with Royal Navy personnel facing drone attacks replicating real-life threats. Working in collaboration with Fleet Operational Standards and Training, QinetiQ managed a challenging and dynamic training environment that saw HMS Duncan having to defend itself while facing multiple simultaneous threats.
The ship was put through its paces in a scenario designed by Inzpire, a QinetiQ-owned company specializing in immersive military training solutions. Live and synthetic drones, including QinetiQ’s Banshee Whirlwind aerial targets and Hammerhead uncrewed surface vehicles, were used to target the ship alongside simulated threats such as cruise missiles, anti-ship ballistic missiles, and enemy aircraft to increase attack intensity.
The training environment at MOD Aberporth tested the full spectrum of the ship’s offensive and defensive capabilities from initial detection to neutralization, both day and night, replicating real-life deployments. The crew successfully met their objectives, tracking and neutralizing five aerial targets and sinking two Hammerheads.
Will Blamey, Chief Executive of UK Defence at QinetiQ, stated that the company is proud to deliver dynamic, real-life scenarios that best prepare armed forces for complex warfare challenges today and tomorrow. He noted that the combination of live and synthetic threats provides the latest threat representation, helping warfighters achieve mission-readiness at pace.
Commander Dan Lee of the UK Royal Navy said that the realism of Sharpshooter, particularly the engagement of dynamic moving targets using operational procedures, gave his Ship’s Company the opportunity to prove they are ready to defend, ready to fight, and ready to win. He added that his team fully embraced the challenge and left the exercise more confident, more capable, and better prepared.
