If you’re a military enthusiast, you’ve probably kept up with the latest news regarding missile testing conducted by the United States military. If so, then you might have heard that the USS Klakring is now at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. This decommissioned U.S. Navy frigate was sunk during a live-fire exercise in the North Atlantic on September 25, 2026.
This missile test was part of Exercise Atlantic Thunder 2026, a joint training event between the U.S. and the U.K., led by the U.S. 6th Fleet. The USS Paul Ignatius attacked the Oliver Hazard Perry-class Klakring with an anti-surface variant of the SM-6 missile. The USS Massachusetts submarine followed up with an attack of its own, using an Mk 48 Advanced Capability torpedo. The Navy says that torpedo delivered the final blow that ultimately sank the Klakring.
Atlantic Thunder also gave the Royal Navy a chance to conduct live-fire testing with two of its new anti-ship weapons. The HMS Portland fired a Naval Strike Missile at the former U.S. warship, while a Royal Navy Wildcat helicopter launched Sea Venom missiles. American and British P-8 maritime patrol aircraft, along with U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles participated in the exercise as well. Before the sinking, U.S. Navy personnel placed sensors on the Klakring to collect data about the damage caused by the various strikes, which can later be used to improve future evaluations of how ships respond to attacks.
How the Navy utilizes decommissioned warships
The USS Klakring had nearly 30 years of service behind it before it was sunk during Exercise Atlantic Thunder. The frigate entered service in 1983 and was named after Rear Admiral Thomas B. Klakring, a World War II submarine commander who received three Navy Crosses. During its career, the ship took part in counter-drug operations, multinational exercises, and overseas deployments in the Caribbean, Pacific, and Mediterranean. Its final deployment came in 2012 and it was decommissioned in 2013.
The Navy’s use of the Klakring is part of a larger effort to use decommissioned ships for fleet and weapons training. The Navy’s 2026 shipbuilding plan names 10 retired ships for use in future sinking exercises, or SINKEXs, during events like Atlantic Thunder and Valiant Shield. These exercises allow the military to evaluate weapon effectiveness and ship survivability, while also practicing new tactics and weapons combinations.
One example of this type of training took place during RIMPAC 2026. In July, American and allied forces used two decommissioned ships as targets during the massive multinational naval exercise held near Hawaii. The ships were sunk during SINKEXs, giving military forces a chance to practice attacking ships with live weapons. Forces from several countries took part in these exercises, providing an opportunity to practice and improve coordination with international allies.