Wildcats ready for Pacific ops after live missile drills

Royal Navy Wildcat helicopters from 815 Naval Air Squadron have successfully demonstrated their combat capabilities in a series of high-intensity training exercises ahead of a global deployment with the UK Carrier Strike Group (CSG), which will head to the Indo-Pacific this spring.

The squadron, based at RNAS Yeovilton, has been sharpening its warfighting edge in recent months, focusing on air defence and surface-to-air threat response.

In a key milestone, the Wildcats fired Martlet air-to-air missiles to intercept jet-powered Banshee drones off the Cornish coast during a live-fire drill dubbed Talon Strike. The drones, operated by 700X Naval Air Squadron, simulated high-speed aerial threats to test the Wildcat’s precision strike capability.

“This event marks the culmination of two years of hard work for team Banshee,” said Lieutenant Tony Nairn, Banshee flight commander, in a Royal Navy press release. “The engagement with the Wildcat further evidences the Banshee as a valued commodity among the war-fighting community. This is a sign of the ever-developing modern threat.”

Footage shows Wildcat helicopter downing attack drones

The Wildcats also trained to counter surface-to-air missile threats at RAF Spadeadam in Cumbria, using the site’s unique threat simulation facilities. Over the course of a week, aircrews conducted low-level navigation, defensive manoeuvres, and live countermeasures to refine their response to hostile radar and missile systems.

Lieutenant Connor Osborne, one of the squadron’s pilots, said: “The simulation of surface to air threats provides crews with an invaluable training opportunity allowing them to develop their tactics in warfighting whilst simultaneously ensuring the protection of the aircraft.”

The training forms part of the final phase of 815 NAS’s preparations to join the Carrier Strike Group, led by HMS Prince of Wales. The Wildcats will provide reconnaissance, anti-surface warfare, and close air support to the task group across a wide operational area.

The squadron also recently returned from Norway after participating in Exercise Tamber Shield, where they operated in the fjords alongside Norwegian warships HNoMS Otto Sverdrup and HNoMS Maud, deepening interoperability with NATO partners.

Lieutenant Tom Horne praised the tactical training, saying: “Utilising the facilities at Spadeadam is key in ensuring our frontline crews remain tactically proficient and ready to deploy on operations globally.”

More on 815 NAS’s preparation can be found in the Royal Navy’s official update.