List of ships sunk by missiles explained

This is a list of ships sunk by missiles. Ships have been sunk by unguided projectiles for many centuries, but the introduction of guided missiles during World War II changed the dynamics of naval warfare. 1943 saw the first ships to be sunk by guided weapons, launched from aircraft, although it was not until 1967 that a ship was sunk by a missile launched from another ship outside a test environment. Both of these were warships, but missiles have also attacked merchant ships. More than fifty other vessels have been sunk, in war and in peace.

This list only contains vessels sunk by guided missiles, and does not include those destroyed by unguided weapons such as naval artillery, torpedoes or crewed weapons like the Kamikaze MXY-7 Ohka suicide rocket.

Background

Ships have been equipped to fire projectiles for centuries, particularly the use of trebuchet and, ultimately, cannon developed by the Song dynasty, the latter epitomising naval weaponry in the Age of Sail. However, the use of guided weapons did not emerge until the Second World War, when guided bombs, a form of precision-guided munition, started being developed by both the Allies and Axis. The first to be used operationally was a German weapon, the Fritz X. Initial attacks were unsuccessful, but on 9 September 1943, Fritz X damaged the Italian battleship Italia and sank the battleship, the first successful strike by a guided missile against a capital ship. At the same time, the Henschel Hs 293 entered service, equipped with a rocket engine. First used in combat in 1943, these were the first guided missiles to sink a warship.

After the war, development of anti-ship missiles continued, particularly in the Soviet Union and Sweden, who saw mounting missiles on ships as a way to increase the strike capacity of small vessels. It was a Soviet missile, the P-15 Termit, that made this public and sunk a ship in combat on 21 October 1967, launched from a vessel of the Egyptian Navy. This demonstration led to a proliferation of other missiles being developed, including the Exocet. The Exocet was used extensively during the Iran–Iraq War, particularly during the Tanker War, where it was the primary missile used by Iraqi Air Force. In addition to nations, anti-ship missiles are also used by non-state actors who target merchant vessels, using missiles in a form of piracy.

To counter anti-ship missiles, warships have used surface-to-air missiles, advanced electronic countermeasures and close-in weapons systems.

List

The list includes all verified sinkings.

ShipNationalityDateConflictVectorMissileNotes
United Kingdom27 August 1943World War IIAircraftHenschel Hs 293First ship sunk by guided missile
RM Roma9 September 1943World War IIAircraftFritz XFirst capital ship sunk by guided missiles
United States30 September 1943World War IIAircraftHenschel Hs 293
United Kingdom13 November 1943World War IIAircraftHenschel Hs 293
MV Birchbank United Kingdom11 November 1943World War IIAircraftHenschel Hs 293
Belgium11 November 1943World War IIAircraftHenschel Hs 293
MV Marsa United Kingdom21 November 1943World War IIAircraftHenschel Hs 293
HMT Rohna United Kingdom26 November 1943World War IIAircraftHenschel Hs 2931,138 killed, the highest number of casualties caused by a single anti-ship missile
HMHS St David United Kingdom24 January 1944World War IIAircraftHenschel Hs 293
United States29 January 1944World War IIAircraftHenschel Hs 293
United Kingdom29 January 1944World War IIAircraftHenschel Hs 293
United States15 February 1944World War IIAircraftHenschel Hs 293
United Kingdom25 February 1944World War IIAircraftHenschel Hs 293
United Kingdom8 June 1944World War IIAircraftHenschel Hs 293Sunk during the Normandy landings
United States15 August 1944World War IIAircraftHenschel Hs 293
data-sort-value="1 May 1963" May 1963---WarshipP-35 ProgressSunk in a missile test
INS Eilat Israel21 October 1967War of AttritionWarshipP-15 TermitFirst ship sunk by a ship-launched missile
Israel13 May 1970War of AttritionWarshipP-15 Termit
PNS Khaibar Pakistan4 December 1971Indo-Pakistan War of 1971WarshipP-15 Termit
Pakistan4 December 1971Indo-Pakistan War of 1971WarshipP-15 Termit
MV Venus Challenger United States8 December 1971Indo-Pakistan War of 1971WarshipP-15 Termit
Panama8 December 1971Indo-Pakistan War of 1971WarshipP-15 Termit
Yarmouk8 October 1973Yom Kippur WarWarshipGabriel Mk 1
Project 205 Moskit8 October 1973Yom Kippur WarWarshipGabriel Mk 1
Three Project 205 Moskit Egypt9 October 1973Yom Kippur WarWarshipGabriel Mk 1
Ilya Mechnikov10 October 1973Yom Kippur WarWarshipGabriel Mk 1
Australia17 May 1979---WarshipRIM-24 TartarSunk as a target
United States1 March 1980---WarshipRGM-84 HarpoonSunk in a missile test[1]
Dhofar Oman18 May 1980---AircraftMM39 ExocetSunk as target [2]
United States1 March 1980---AircraftAGM-65 MaverickSunk as a target[3]
Two Project 205 Moskit Iraq29 November 1980Iran-Iraq WarWarshipRGM-84 Harpoon
IRIS Paykan29 November 1980Iran-Iraq WarWarshipP-15 Termit
Peru1 October 1981---WarshipOtomatSunk in a missile test
United Kingdom4 May 1982Falklands WarAircraftAM39 ExocetSank two days after being hit
ELMA Río Carcarañá Argentina24 May 1982Falklands WarAircraftSea SkuaPreviously disabled by Sea Harrier cannon fire [4]
United Kingdom25 May 1982Falklands WarAircraftAM39 Exocet
PNA Río Iguazú Argentina13 June 1982Falklands WarAircraftSea SkuaAlready stranded in Choiseul Sound after Sea Harrier attack[5]
United States18 July 1982---SubmarineUGM-109 TomahawkSunk in a missile test
MV Sambow Banner9 August 1982Iran-Iraq WarAircraftAM39 Exocet
MV Eastern Hunter Singapore2 January 1983Iran-Iraq WarAircraftAM39 Exocet
MV Panoceanic Fame Greece15 May 1983Iran-Iraq WarAircraftAM39 Exocet
MV Iran Reshadat24 August 1983Iran-Iraq WarAircraftAM39 Exocet
MV Iran Rezvan25 October 1983Iran-Iraq WarAircraftAM39 Exocet
MV Skaros Cyprus1 February 1984Iran-Iraq WarAircraftAM39 Exocet
MV Charming United Kingdom1 March 1984Iran-Iraq WarAircraftAM39 Exocet
MV Rana Saudi Arabia23 August 1984Iran-Iraq WarAircraftAM39 Exocet
MV Song Bong13 September 1985Iran-Iraq WarAircraftAM39 Exocet
MV Castor Liberia27 February 1986Iran-Iraq WarAircraftAM39 Exocet
Waheed Libya25 March 1986Action in the Gulf of Sidra (1986)AircraftAGM-84 Harpoon
Ain Zaquit Libya25 March 1986Action in the Gulf of Sidra (1986)AircraftAGM-84 Harpoon
MV Harmony I Malta6 May 1986Iran-Iraq WarAircraftAM39 Exocet
Musson16 April 1987---Missile boatP-15 TermitAccidentally hit by a training target missile during a training exercise and sunk[6]
MV Bigerange XIV Panama1 September 1987Iran-Iraq WarAircraftAM39 Exocet
MV Iran Sedaghat31 December 1987Iran-Iraq WarAircraftAM39 Exocet
IRIS Joshan19 April 1988Operation Praying MantisWarshipRIM-66 Standard
19 April 1988Operation Praying MantisWarshipRGM-84 Harpoon
Sveti Vlaho Croatia6 December 1991Croatian War of IndependenceCoastal battery9K11 MalyutkaRefloated in 2001 and preserved as a monument at Batala Park in Dubrovnik.[7]
TČ-219 Streljko8 October 1994Croatian War of IndependenceWarshipRBS-15Sunk as a target by the Croatian Navy; ship had been captured in 1991 [8]
RČ-310 Velimir Škorpik8 October 1994Croatian War of IndependenceWarshipP-15 TermitSunk as a target by the Croatian Navy; ship had been captured in 1991
ARA Chiriguano ArgentinaOctober 1996---AircraftMM39 ExocetSunk as a target
United States8 July 2002---WarshipRGM-84 HarpoonSunk as a target
United States10 July 2002---CombinedAGM-114 Hellfire and RGM-84 HarpoonSunk as a target
United States8 December 2006---AircraftAGM-84 HarpoonSunk as a target[9]
United States14 July 2008---AircraftAGM-84 HarpoonSunk as a target[10]
Georgia10 August 2008Russo-Georgian WarWarshipP-120 Malakhit[11]
United States15 September 2014---WarshipRGM-84 HarpoonSunk as a target[12]
United States18 January 2016---WarshipRIM-174 Standard ERAMSunk in a missile test[13]
Pakistan27 April 2020---CombinedBabur, AM39 Exocet and YJ-83Sunk as a target[14] [15]
United States30 August 2020---WarshipRGM-84 HarpoonSunk as a target[16]
Sloviansk Ukraine3 March 2022Russian invasion of UkraineAircraftKh-31[17]
BDK Saratov24 March 2022Russian invasion of UkraineGround batteryTochka-UHit by ground-to-ground missile when moored in Berdyansk harbour. [18] [19]
14 April 2022Russian invasion of UkraineCoastal batteryR-360 NeptuneRussia claims the cruiser sank from an internal explosion[20] [21]
17 June 2022Russian invasion of UkraineCoastal batteryRGM-84 Harpoon[22] [23]
Russian landing ship Novocherkassk26 December 2022Russian invasion of UkraineAircraftStorm ShadowDestroyed while in port at Sevastopol. [24] [25]
Ternopil Ukraine21 July 2023Russo-Ukrainian WarWarshipP-240 MoskitCaptured in 2014 at Donuzlav bay. Sunk in missile test[26]
M/V Rubymar United Kingdom2 March 2024Red Sea crisisUnknownBallistic missileFirst ship sunk by an anti-ship ballistic missile[27]
Tsiklon19 May 2024Russian invasion of UkraineSurface batteryMGM-140 ATACMSSunk while in port at Sevastopol.[28]

References

Bibliography

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Robert L. Wilson (DD-847). Naval History and Heritage Command. 27 April 2016. 5 December 2020.
  2. Web site: LONDON & ROCHESTER TRADING CO. (CRESCENT SHIPPING), Rochester. - Paul Johnson . 2022-11-19 . transportsofdelight.smugmug.com . en.
  3. Web site: Priolo. Gary P. . USS Ozark. Navsource Naval History. 13 September 2019. 5 December 2020.
  4. Web site: 16 May: Argentine supply ships attacked . 2024-07-08 . Royal Naval Association . en.
  5. Web site: Fundación Malvinas . 13 de Junio . Fundación Malvinas.
  6. Web site: Pacific Fleet Pays Honors to Corvette Musson Wrecked 25 Years Ago. https://web.archive.org/web/20120515075132/http://rusnavy.com/news/navy/index.php?ELEMENT_ID=14920 . 2012-05-15 .
  7. News: Slobodna Dalmacija. hr. "Sveti Vlaho" in full glory. 6 December 2001.
  8. Web site: 12 September 2016. HRM – 25 godina poslije. 2021-11-10. Obrana i sigurnost. hr.
  9. Web site: Mark L.. Evans. Gideon. Cohn-Postar. Spruance I (DD-963). Naval History and Heritage Command. 4 December 2019. 7 October 2020.
  10. Web site: Thoralf. Doehring. USS Horne (CG 30). Navy Site. 4 December 2019. 17 December 2020.
  11. Web site: Shactman. Noah. Inside the Battle for the Black Sea. wired.com. 15 August 2008. 10 October 2020.
  12. Web site: Joint Information Bureau . U.S. joint forces sink former USS Fresno . navy.mil . 14 September 2014 . 5 December 2020.
  13. Web site: LaGrone. Sam. Navy Sinks Former Frigate USS Reuben James in Test of New Supersonic Anti-Surface Missile. USNI. 7 March 2016. 5 December 2020.
  14. Web site: Defense Brief Editorial. Pakistan sinks former Royal Navy frigate in missile firing drill. Defence Brief. 28 April 2020. 5 December 2020.
  15. Web site: Marinha do Paquistão testa mísseis antinavio contra casco de fragata Type 21. Pakistani Navy tests anti-ship missiles against Type 21 frigate. Poder Naval. 25 April 2020. Portuguese. 5 December 2020.
  16. Web site: RIMPAC 2020 Public Affairs . RIMPAC 2020 Participants Conduct Sinking Exercise . navy.mil . 31 August 2020 . 5 December 2020.
  17. Web site: Ukraine Reports Loss of U.S.-Built Patrol Boat by Russian Missile . 2022-07-02 . The Maritime Executive . en.
  18. News: 2023-03-24 . Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief releases video of army destroying Russian ship Saratov last year . en . Ukrainska Pravda .
  19. News: 2023-08-17 . Ukraine Navy successfully disables 5 Russian landing ships since start of war . en . Navy Recognition .
  20. News: NYT . 2022-04-15 . Russia's Black Sea flagship was hit by 2 Ukrainian missiles, a U.S. official says . en . New York Times . 2022-04-15 .
  21. Web site: Trevithick . Joseph . 2022-04-15 . Ukrainian Anti-Ship Missiles Struck The Russian Cruiser Moskva: U.S. Officials . 2022-04-15 . The Drive . en.
  22. News: 10 April 2023 . Ukrainsk forsvarsminister efter dansk besøg: kornaftale blev mulig på grund af missiler fra Danmark . DR Nyheder . 10 April 2023.
  23. News: Ozberk . Tayfun . 17 June 2022 . Ukraine Strikes Russia's Vasily Bekh Rescue Tug With Antiship Missiles . Naval News . 18 June 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220618004321/https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2022/06/ukraine-strikes-russias-vasily-bekh-rescue-tug/ . 18 June 2022.
  24. News: 2023-12-26 . Ukrainian Bombers Just Blew Up Another Russian Warship. ‘Russia’s Fleet Is Getting Smaller And Smaller!’ . en . Forbes.
  25. Web site: Ozberk . Tayfun . 2023-12-26 . Ukraine strikes Russia's Project 775 large landing ship in Crimea . 2024-07-05 . Naval News . en-US.
  26. Web site: Altman . Howard . 2023-07-21 . Ominous Russian Anti-Ship Missile Drill Sinks Ex-Ukrainian Corvette . 2024-07-07 . The War Zone . en-US.
  27. Web site: CENTCOM on Twitter . Twitter.
  28. https://armyrecognition.com/news/navy-news/2024/russian-sources-confirm-tsiklon-karakurt-class-missile-ship-was-sunk-by-us-supplied-atacms-missiles

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