The Weird Looking Ship that Almost Started WW3

In modern naval history, few moments stand as tense as the day the HMS Defender, a crown jewel of the British Royal Navy, sailed the disputed waters off the Crimean Peninsula in 2021. This ship, the fifth of the Daring-class air-defense destroyers, was not just any vessel. Commissioned in March 2013, with a displacement of up to 8,500 tonnes and a length of 152.4 meters, the Defender is a testament to Britain's naval engineering prowess.

Its motto, "Defendendo vinco" - "By defending I win," echoed its purpose
As the Defender navigated the disputed waters of the Black Sea, its formidable missile systems stood ready. Part of a NATO operation related to counterterrorism, it was cruising calmly when Russian Su-24 bombers and Su-30 fighters suddenly appeared on the horizon. The Russian Coast Guard's voice crackled over the radio, a dire warning: (QUOTE) “Change course, or you will be fired upon.” But before the Defender could even respond, an Su-24 unleashed a bomb headed directly in its path….