The latest James Bond 007 movie shows Type 45 HMS Dragon destroyer launching Aster missiles from the Principal Anti Air Missile System (PAAMS(S)), also known as Sea Viper, so fans will be able to spot more than just Hollywood stars in the long-anticipated Bond movie ‘No Time To Die’.

As reported by Forces News at the beginning of the month, the Royal Navy’s HMS Dragon plays her own starring role in Daniel Craig’s fifth and final appearance in the role of the famous spy. The warship, from the Daring-class of Type 45 destroyers, appears on the big screen with her red dragon emblem on her hull, cutting through the waves.

In the US version of the trailer and in the film itself, HMS Dragon is depicted launching missiles while maneuvering in warm waters, something the UK version of the film advert did not depict.

A UK Ministry of Defence spokesperson, however, told Forces News that “no missiles were fired during filming”, suggesting that Dragon’s firing scenes were created using CGI special effects.

In reality, missiles fired from Dragon’s Sea Viper weapon system used onboard these warships can blow a moving target out of the sky from more than 70 miles away.

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The ship has 48 vertical launch cells which house two types of Aster missiles. The Fire Control system has the ability to guide 16 missiles at the same time, firing 8 missiles every 10 seconds. They detonate on impact or within close range of a target.

In detail, the Aster 15 is short to a medium-range missile, which travels at a speed of MACH 3 and can engage targets that are more than 18 miles away, while the Aster 30 is short to a long-range missile with a speed of MACH 4.5, capable of reaching distances of more than 70 miles. An upgrade to the destroyer’s missile system is expected in 2026. According to the competent Ministry, the new system will boost the destroyers’ missile capacity to 72.

Apart from HMS Dragon, the Royal Air Force also granted film-makers access to key military facilities and personnel. Specifically, RAF Brize Norton Station in Oxfordshire was used as the set in the film, depicting a NATO airbase in Norway. Meanwhile, the Army supplied troops from the Household Cavalry.

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