Media: US Navy sinks own ships in drills as warning to Russia, China

The US Navy is deliberately sinking its own ships during exercises, known as SINKEX, as a signal to Russia and China, the American magazine 19FortyFive writes.

According to the report, the Navy uses these drills to study how real ships sustain damage and how weapons perform under realistic conditions. 

Sailors collect data on the extent of hull damage a vessel can endure before sinking.

“The Navy learns many lessons from these exercises,” the article said.

For example, during the 2024 Valiant Shield 24 exercises, the decommissioned Austin-class amphibious ship USS Cleveland was sunk using new US Precision Strike Missiles. 

The report noted that such operations not only provide near-combat training for personnel but also serve as a warning to potential adversaries.

By Jeyhun Aghazada