The former USS Rodney M. Davis (FFG-60), once an active guided-missile frigate of the United States Navy, was deliberately sunk during a scheduled live-fire naval exercise after being struck by an AGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missile. The event formed part of a SINKEX, or sinking exercise, a controlled military training operation designed to assess weapon effectiveness and enhance naval combat readiness under realistic conditions.
Although images of a missile striking a decommissioned warship may appear dramatic, the sinking of USS Rodney M. Davis was neither accidental nor combat-related. Instead, it represented the final phase of the vessel’s operational lifecycle, following decades of service and a structured decommissioning process. Such exercises allow naval forces to gather valuable data on weapon systems while responsibly retiring aging ships in a controlled environment.
