Royal Navy sharpens claws on Wildcat choppers with anti-drone Martlet missiles

Laser-guided weapon reaches full service after successful sea trials

Royal Navy helicopters will soon carry drone-busting lightweight Martlet missiles, now declared fully operational following the anti-ship Sea Venom gaining initial operating capability (IOC) earlier this month.

The Lightweight Multirole Missile, as it's officially known, is a laser-guided weapon designed to engage aerial drones and fast attack boats. Wildcat helicopters – successors to the Lynx – can carry up to 20 Martlets using detachable weapon wings mounting two clusters of five missiles per side.

Wildcat firing Martlet

The Navy says the system performed well in the latest tests. In Cardigan Bay, Martlets engaged targets simulating small unmanned boats. During a NATO exercise on the Côte d'Azur, Wildcats defended a French task force against mock drone and surface craft attacks.

Earlier tests aboard destroyer HMS Defender during HMS Queen Elizabeth's first operational deployment validated the system, and some missiles were supplied to Ukraine for anti-drone defense. Trials mounting Martlets on HMS Sutherland's 30 mm gun showed promise but were abandoned due to rocket motor blast concerns.

Luke Pollard, the UK Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, called the Martlet missile a significant leap forward in capabilities. "Its precision against both aerial and surface threats showcases the Royal Navy's cutting-edge technology and tactical excellence," he said.

The Register's cursory research suggests the cost of each Martlet missile might be anywhere from £59k to £71k ($79k to $95k), notably more than the $20,000 to $50,000 for an Iranian Shahed drone they may target.

The larger Sea Venom missile, also achieving IOC this month, complements the Martlet. At 2.5 m long, 120 kg, and with a 20-plus km range, it's designed for corvettes and patrol vessels.

Unlike the laser-guided Martlet, Sea Venom uses inertial navigation with infrared seeking and a two-way datalink allowing the helicopter weapons operator to guide it to the target.

A Wildcat can carry up to four Sea Venom missiles at once using the "weapon wing," or a mix of Sea Venom and Martlet.

Both are relatively light by missile standards, and the Royal Navy currently operates the Kongsberg Naval Strike Missile as an anti-ship weapon from its Type 23 frigates and Type 45 destroyers – an interim solution until the Anglo-French Future Cruise/Anti-Ship Weapon (FC/ASW) arrives later this decade. ®