UK to upgrade warship defence missile system used in Red Sea

London: Britain’s Ministry of Defence said on Sunday it would spend 405 million pounds ($514 million) to upgrade a missile system now being used by the Royal Navy to shoot down hostile drones over the Red Sea.

The Sea Viper Air Defence system will be upgraded with missiles featuring a new warhead and software enabling it to counter ballistic missile threats, the MoD said in a statement.

The contracts were awarded to the British division of MBDA, a missiles joint venture owned by Airbus (AIR.PA), opens new tab, BAE Systems (BAES.L), opens new tab and Leonardo (LDOF.MI), opens new tab, the MoD said.