British Navy Marks Historic First for NATO as HMS Duncan Destroyer Shadows Russian Warship.

On 22 October 2025, HMS Duncan conducted a forty-eight-hour shadowing mission of the Russian destroyer Vice Admiral Kulakov between the North Sea and the English Channel under direct NATO tasking. London says this marked a historic first, a Royal Navy surface combatant operating under NATO control in UK national waters to keep a clear maritime and air picture on a vital trade route.

The Royal Navy said Type 45 destroyer HMS Duncan, assigned by NATO’s Allied Maritime Command in Northwood, tracked the Udaloy-class Vice Admiral Kulakov through a notified Channel transit with Dutch and French partners coordinating handovers near Ushant. Officials framed the evolution as routine surveillance with an important distinction, marking a historic first for the alliance in UK waters; NATO control applied in real-time during a third-party passage. The focus remained on measured presence, clean identification, and service continuity along one of Europe’s busiest corridors.
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Russian Vice Admiral Kulakov Destroyer is in the foreground as British HMS Duncan tracks nearby. (Picture source: British Royal Navy)

For the first time, according to London, a Royal Navy destroyer carried out this type of mission under direct NATO control in national waters. MARCOM headquarters assigned HMS Duncan to closely track Kulakov throughout the transit while allied units contributed their tracks. An integration often described in strategy papers took practical, observable form in this case.

The UK setup rests on the technical features of the Type 45 destroyer HMS Duncan. The ship’s Sea Viper combat system combines the active SAMPSON multi-function radar and the long-range S1850M radar to build a wide and stable air picture. Aster 15 and Aster 30 interceptors provide area air defence covering both the escort and nearby merchant traffic. One often-overlooked point is that the integrated electric propulsion has received reliability upgrades to handle extended generator loads, which matters when surveillance continues in a dense environment.

The embarked Wildcat HMA2 from 815 Naval Air Squadron extends the sensor envelope. Its surface-search radar and electro-optical suite enable early identification, imagery, and verification of course and behavior at sea without forcing contact. It can carry light precision munitions, such as Martlet, to neutralize a fast craft if required. In this case, the approach remained surveillance and measured presence. On the partner side, a Dutch Air Force NH90 and French Navy units contributed to handovers and coordination along the traffic separation scheme.

Opposite, Vice Admiral Kulakov is a Udaloy-class destroyer designed primarily for anti-submarine warfare, with a hull sonar, towed systems, and customary deployment of Ka-27 helicopters. Its route profile in the Channel is not unusual. However, dense civilian traffic, variable weather, and coastal proximity require continuous vigilance. The emphasis is on anticipation rather than spectacle: shared tracks, maintained distances, concise VHF exchanges, and regular reporting to MARCOM.

HMS Duncan maintains a clean air picture over a saturated corridor while serving as a communications and data node for the Recognised Maritime Picture. The advantage stems from the SAMPSON and S1850M radars, which discriminate civil, allied, and opportunistic tracks at very low altitude, while the Wildcat widens the identification cone and reduces classification uncertainty. Emissions discipline and electromagnetic housekeeping help deconflict the spectrum, smooth handovers with French and Dutch assets, and enable a discreet yet tight escort.

HMS Duncan is attached to Standing NATO Maritime Group 1, while the Type 23 frigate HMS Somerset conducts maritime security patrols on the Iceland–Faroe–Scotland axis and, when required, supports the protection of the UK’s deterrent posture approaches. Port visits by Somerset to Torshavn and Reykjavik underline that presence matters, including through port calls, local authority engagements, and technical briefings for partner navies.

Russian transits between the Barents Sea, the North Atlantic, and at times the Mediterranean serve long-range training, flag-showing, and intelligence collection. NATO responds with continuous, legally framed surveillance that combines surface radars and sensors, helicopters, AIS cross-checks, patrols, and seamless handovers among the British, French, Dutch, and Belgian navies. Direct MARCOM tasking of HMS Duncan clarifies the command chain in the event of rising tensions. Here, interception means proximity control, measured VHF messages, and safe separation, not a coercive action. The stakes involve the safety of a very dense maritime corridor and the protection of subsea cables, pipelines, and offshore wind farms. The message to Moscow is systematic traceability of each transit, while northern European states and shipowners gain assurance of service continuity.

Written By Erwan Halna du Fretay - Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group

Erwan Halna du Fretay is a graduate of a Master’s degree in International Relations and has experience in the study of conflicts and global arms transfers. His research interests lie in security and strategic studies, particularly the dynamics of the defense industry, the evolution of military technologies, and the strategic transformation of armed forces.