A decommissioned American warship, USS Klakring, was deliberately sunk during a joint US-UK military exercise called Atlantic Thunder 2026 off the coast of Scotland. The 138-metre vessel was destroyed by missiles from USS Paul Ignatius, a torpedo from USS Massachusetts, a naval strike missile from HMS Portland, and Sea Venom missiles from a Wildcat helicopter, ultimately sinking approximately 6,000 feet to the seabed about 170 miles off the Outer Hebrides. This type of exercise, known as a "sinkex", is designed to test advanced weapons systems and assess new maritime warfare tactics in real-world conditions.

The USS Klakring, decommissioned in 2013 and previously stored at a Philadelphia facility, was transported across the Atlantic specifically for this training exercise. The operation demonstrates the close partnership between British and American naval forces and their ability to integrate modern strike capabilities, including long-range missiles that can travel near supersonic speeds and strike targets over 100 miles away. The exercise was conducted following strict environmental regulations, with hazardous materials removed beforehand and the sinking taking place in water deeper than 1,900 metres and at least 50 nautical miles from land.