Royal Navy warship takes out air and sea drones in 'realistic' exercise
A helicopter, already airborne, uses a missile to take out an incoming drone from a distance, while the ship's guns open fire on a small uncrewed vessel racing towards it.
The action, using live rounds, unfolded on Tuesday off the Welsh coast as HMS Dauntless, a Type 45 destroyer, took part in an exercise to prepare for a major deployment to Asia in the coming weeks alongside one of the UK's two aircraft carriers.
The voyage could take the carrier strike group through hostile waters, including within range of Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.
It means the heavily-armed destroyer - a key layer of defence for HMS Prince of Wales - may come under attack for real.
Luke Pollard, the armed forces minister, said the ship was well prepared.
"If anyone were to threaten our carrier, they should be in no doubt that we possess formidable capabilities to defend ourselves, to defend every ship in that task force," he told Sky News, speaking onboard Dauntless, having watched part of the training.