NATO’s Joint Force Command Norfolk published footage showing Norwegian submarine KNM Uthaug torpedo and sink the decommissioned frigate KNM Trondheim during Aegir 25 off Andfjorden. The clip captures the impact, large water plumes, the frigate listing and ultimately sinking. The live-fire shot was intended to demonstrate submarine strike power and endurance, with Norway, the U.K. and Poland participating. The exercise also included the Royal Navy’s first operational Naval Strike Missile firing from HMS Somerset.
Norwegian Submarine Torpedoes and Sinks Decommissioned Frigate in Dramatic NATO Exercise Footage
NATO’s Joint Force Command Norfolk published footage showing Norwegian submarine KNM Uthaug torpedo and sink the decommissioned frigate KNM Trondheim during Aegir 25 off Andfjorden. The clip captures the impact, large water plumes, the frigate listing and ultimately sinking. The live-fire shot was intended to demonstrate submarine strike power and endurance, with Norway, the U.K. and Poland participating. The exercise also included the Royal Navy’s first operational Naval Strike Missile firing from HMS Somerset.
11:35 PM, 11/19/2025Security
On Nov. 18, Joint Force Command Norfolk (JFCNF) released dramatic footage showing the Norwegian submarine KNM Uthaug firing a torpedo at the decommissioned frigate KNM Trondheim during the Aegir 25 exercise off Andfjorden, Norway. The video captures the moment of impact with towering water plumes, the target ship listing heavily, becoming partially submerged and ultimately sinking to the seafloor.
What happened
The torpedo strike was conducted against a designated, decommissioned target to validate weapon performance and the submarine’s effectiveness in a live-fire scenario. In the published clip, explosions of seawater burst upward on impact, the frigate rolls onto its side and is seen settling beneath the waves by the end of the recording.
Purpose and statements
“This action was intended to demonstrate the striking power that the weapon and the submarine represent,” JFCNF said, noting that submarines have long endurance, operate covertly and possess a unique ability to influence battlespace dynamics.
Participants and context
The exercise included the Norwegian Armed Forces (Forsvaret), the British Royal Navy and Poland. JFCNF, a North American-based operational-level NATO command under Allied Command Operations, is responsible for protecting trans-Atlantic lines of communication and operating in the Arctic approaches—missions reflected in the scope of Aegir 25.
Other highlights
Aegir 25 also featured a Royal Navy milestone earlier in the exercise series: the first operational firing of the Naval Strike Missile (NSM) from HMS Somerset in September. Commander Matt Millyard, commanding officer of HMS Somerset, commented on the achievement, praising the ship’s team following the successful firing.
Implications
By releasing the footage, NATO aimed to demonstrate allied undersea strike capability and interoperability among partner navies in the North Atlantic theatre. The live-fire event underlines how submarines and precision weapons are integrated into modern maritime operations to deter and, if necessary, defeat maritime threats.