The U.S. and British Navies held the Atlantic Thunder 26 military exercise from September 14 to 25, 2026, aimed at testing weapon systems and targeting networks. This exercise included the USS Paul Ignatius and the USS Massachusetts submarines from the U.S. Navy and HMS Portland from the Royal Navy of Britain.
Details of the Exercise and Its Objectives
This exercise serves as an opportunity to strengthen cooperation and information exchange between the two navies. One of the key points of this exercise was the testing of unmanned underwater vehicles conducted by the Royal Navy of Britain. This was the first time in four years that the two fleets trained together with the SINKEX element (sinking a target with live fire).
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The target of the 2026 exercise was the USS Klakring, which was built in 1983 and decommissioned in 2013. This frigate, weighing 4,100 tons and 138 meters long, was maintained in Philadelphia after decommissioning and then transferred to Scotland for use in this exercise.
Consequences and Future Outlook
In addition to testing weapons, this exercise serves as a platform to explore new and innovative capabilities in naval warfare. EUCOM (U.S. European Command) stated: "The science-fiction realities begin," meaning that unmanned underwater vehicles will go deep into the sea to assess damage caused by the firepower of the allies.
Further details on the results of this exercise will be released in the future, and this exercise is considered an important step towards strengthening military cooperation between the two countries and improving their operational capabilities.
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