The Royal Navy’s 815 Naval Air Squadron (NAS) has demonstrated the air-to-air capabilities of the Wildcat Maritime Strike helicopter, successfully engaging and destroying fast-moving Banshee drones during a recent exercise.

In the footage, a Wildcat helicopter can be seen tracking and firing on the drone before scoring a direct hit, reinforcing its role as a versatile strike platform.

815 NAS hailed the success in a tweet, stating:

“SPLASH! 🎯 Crews from 815 NAS have demonstrated their air-to-air prowess once more, expanding the envelope by taking out fast-moving Banshee drones at difficult angles. Another leap forward for Wildcat Maritime Strike 💥”

This demonstration of the Wildcat’s ability to operate independently in detecting and neutralising aerial threats underlines its role as a key asset in the Royal Navy’s arsenal.

The Martlet, also known as the Lightweight Multirole Missile (LMM), is a versatile, laser-guided missile developed by Thales Air Defence for the United Kingdom. Designed for air-to-surface, air-to-air, surface-to-air, and surface-to-surface roles, the missile is named after a mythical bird from English heraldry that never roosts.

The Martlet was developed to meet the UK’s need for a “Future Air-to-Surface Guided Weapon (Light),” intended to equip the Royal Navy’s AW159 Wildcat helicopters and complement the heavier Sea Venom missile, particularly for targeting smaller and more manoeuvrable naval craft.

Originally derived from the Starburst surface-to-air missile, the Martlet has evolved to serve in multiple roles and on various platforms, such as the Schiebel Camcopter S-100 and BAE Fury. A special glide variant of the missile, known as the FreeFall LMM (FFLMM) or Fury, is being developed for use with drones and is planned to equip the British Army’s GMLRS-ER and Precision Strike Missile (PrSM). The missile is highly adaptable, featuring multiple guidance systems and a solid two-stage propellant, with a range of up to 8 km and speeds exceeding Mach 1.5.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) initially placed an order for 1,000 Martlet missiles in 2013, though delays meant that the missile only achieved its initial operating capability in 2021. The Royal Navy is projected to reach full operating capability with the Martlet by 2025, and it has already seen use in conflicts such as the Russo-Ukrainian War.

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George Allison
George Allison
George has a degree in Cyber Security from Glasgow Caledonian University and has a keen interest in naval and cyber security matters and has appeared on national radio and television to discuss current events. George is on Twitter at @geoallison
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28 COMMENTS

  1. Not taking anything away from the skill of the operators of the LMM targeting here but, it strikes me, if they were just a foot or two out from the target at detonation, might the missile miss? Is there a proximity sensor in the LMM that basically acknowledges there is an object within a certain distance of the missile and it automatically denotates when within range of it? How does this work exactly?

    • Same reason as whatever replaces Puma won’t be a maritime helicopter.

      Lack of joined up thinking by those who have joined up!

    • Because of not wanting to undermine the case for a decent fleet of APACHE – one of the things that has been bought in an almost useful number.

      • Yes but that reason is long gone.. the apache fleet was signed in contract a good while ago no.. the sadly political reason disappeared 8 years ago when the contract was set in stone.

    • I think Martlet is only good for lightly armoured vehicles. If you would need something like Brimestone and Martlet for land based enhancements. But at that point just send an apache.

      • Well apparently it’s got a triple effect warhead which means it’s quite happy killing armoured vehicles as well as soft skinned vehicles, infantry, drones and any other air target. The only thing Thales don’t claim it can kill is an MBT.

  4. I’d like to see Merlins carry these and the 40mm CTA Cannons. Maybe we will see a Mosquito Tsetse version !

    • ”Stick guns and missiles on everything regardless of whether it’s a fighting asset or not,” is a popular but flawed opinion many people here share. Merlin is probably the most ill-suited attack helicopter base you could use, the hunk is underpowered and highly unmanoeuvrable as it is; I can’t imagine it hauling short-range weaponry designed to counter high-speed targets or handling the whopping recoil of a 40mm CTA – any helicopter for the latter part in fact. Slow and steady ASW roles, AEW or transportation duties are just fine for them.

      • Yes. Merlin is a not attack helicopter. But Merlin does need a heavy long range anti-ship missile. Italians already have one integrated for their cabs.

      • No but as noted by Stephanie it’s already integrated for the Marte Antiship missile. Which the navy should buy for it..every small ship flight should have an ASuW function…the RN are the navy that has sunk the most surface combatants in modern times with missiles because it deploys them from small ship fights.

  6. Was this a jet powered Banshee or a prop one? Quite a capability to be able to engage something travelling at ( representative) fighter speeds rather than Sopwith Camel speeds.
    AA

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