"track and destroy a target the size of a cricket ball travelling at more than three times the speed of sound..."
Not that it matters, but isn't that about the radar cross section of an F-35?
Guess we better not get into a tiff with the brits. ;->
I'm certain the F22 radar cross section is smaller.
And then there's the.... no, wait, if I told you that I'd have to kill you.
Also, my understanding is that the type 45 destroyers are using only technology licensed from US developers.
The nick name for the USS Ronald Reagan is the "Ronnie ray gun" for a reason, folks. (it's better and faster than Teddy's "big stick.")
The Brits can certainly track and launch against a target the size of a "cricket ball" (roughly the size of a softball), but they'll be launching a conventional weapon, either a missile or something like an (American) Phalanx system. The US developed the tracking and guidance systems with them (and others) that they're touting here. Our purpose is to use them with directed energy systems.
They absolutely contributed heavily to this development (as did the Israelis and several other allies to be named later) but this article implies that it is some sort of British coup (and a march on those nasty Yanks). The real professionals in the British Navy are not into that sort of stuff. Their PR flacks and media drones, however...
I'm certain it is much smaller. The F-117's Xsection has been compared to a bumblebee.