A lot of info in the War Zone write up on the Western Navies in the Red Sea vs the Houthi and raises numerous questions
It was confirmed the German Navy Type 124 Sachsen class frigate Hessen successfully shot down two drones, within 20 minutes of one another. Hessen intercepted the first drone using its 76mm deck gun while the second drone was shot down using the short range RIM-116 RAM. The two drones were supposedly "recognized by the radar system and had a different range… That's why two different weapons were used." The use of both these systems indicates that the UAVs came remarkably close to Hessen, its not the first time Houthi drones have come close to the ships as previously reported in one engagement by a Burke destroyer that had to resort to using the ship’s CIWS Mk15 Phalanx.
On the evening of February 26, FGS Hessen attempted to shoot down an unknown drone after efforts to clarify its nature with U.S. were unsuccessful and it fired at an American MQ-9 Reaper drone, said the IFF not switched on, two SM-2 interceptors were fired at the MQ-9 and reported by Spiegel that both missiles failed plus the variant of the SM-2's used by F124 class are no longer in production and so cannot rearm.
The Houthis have managed to shoot down two MQ-9s since the current crisis began. MQ-9s are highly active in the region for counter-terror, counter-piracy, and weapons interdiction efforts. DE&S has recently bought 16 Protector UAVs for the RAF, which are fitted with a suite of equipment that are claimed enables unparalleled surveillance and strike capability which in light of the third world Houthi ability to shoot down the MQ-9s appears to me a slightly dubious claim.
Hessen operating under the auspices of the recently formed EU Operation Aspides, (assuming driven by France) as there have been tensions in co-operating with the U.S. Operation Propriety Guardian which the RN ships operates with.
U.S. Navy has alone has fired around 100 SM missiles including the SM-6 at Houthi missiles and drones at $2 to 4 million a pop, no mention of firing the ESSMs which find puzzling, HMS Diamond, which has shot down multiple Houthi Iranian drones had to steam to Gibraltar to rearm with Aster's before heading back to the Red Sea.
https://www.twz.com/news-features/germa ... thi-drones