New Zealand Frigate Marks First Sea Ceptor Missile Firing

New Zealand Defence Force Press Release

Two successful missile firings from frigate HMNZS Te Mana signalled the final tick for both Te Mana and HMNZS Te Kaha’s capability release following their Frigate Systems Upgrade.

This week HMNZS Te Mana conducted two Sea Ceptor surface-to-air missile firings in the East Australia Exercise Area, which completes the final part of the frigate’s testing and evaluation process.

This was the first test firing of the Sea Ceptor since the Anzac-class frigates had received the missile system during their combat, surveillance and counter-measures upgrade in Canada.

The ‘threats’ were uncrewed aerial platforms, two-metre long drones, simulating inbound missiles. One was aimed at Te Mana and, two days later, one was targeted away from Te Mana to replicate an attack on another vessel operating with the ship.

This test has demonstrated that the frigates have an increased ability to both defend themselves and defend another ship.

All other aspects of the two Anzac frigates’ surveillance, counter measures, self-defence capability and Combat Management System have been already been proven. This now means the frigates move from a solely ‘defend self’ position to a ‘defend others’ capability which allows for the missile defence of any other platform the frigates are operating with.

According to the manufacturer, MBDA, the 3.2-metre Sea Ceptor has a range in excess of 25 kilometres.

-Ends-

Naval News Comment

The double firing of Sea Ceptor wraps up a regional deployment for HMNZS Te Mana which left Auckland in July for exercises in Australia alongside HMNZS Aotearoa. This time training with the Australian Defence Force (ADF) allowed the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) to certify Te Mana for operations following the completion of it’s Frigate Systems Upgrade (FSU) in Canada.

Both ships then departed Australian waters for Southeast Asia where they engaged in a range of activities, including port calls in Viet Nam and Solomon Islands. They also both took part in the Five Powers Defence Arrangements Exercise Bersama Lima off Malaysia in October, as well as various bi-and-multilateral exercises with partners in the region.

The Sea Ceptor test upon return to Australia was notable for reasons beyond it being a demonstration of the frigates new capabilities. Significantly, it was the first time since 2012 that the RNZN has fired any kind of air-defence missile, let-alone two.

Naval News understands that the Sea Ceptor firing will be followed next year by the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF), which provides all naval helicopters to the RNZN, test-firing a re-motored AGM-119 Penguin anti-ship missile from an SH-2G(I) Seasprite Helicopter.