Wildcat and Martlet: The combination providing a ring of steel around warships

Ahead of a joint training exercise in Norway, the personnel from 815 Naval Air Squadron have been honing their skills with the Martlet missiles carried by their Wildcat helicopters.

The weapons system is part of the Wildcat helicopter's maritime attack role – providing a so-called ring of steel around warships.  

The Martlet missile is released from the helicopter in 0.3 seconds and accelerates to one-and-a-half times the speed of sound towards its target.

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How does the missile find its target?

The missile is targeted by a laser. There is a camera on the nose of the aircraft which has been modified to have an additional laser used for targeting.

"In terms of how I'm targeting, I'm using my thumb on a joystick, effectively to move the camera, that in turn moves the laser and therefore it changes the positioning of the missile," explained Lieutenant Max Randles-Hall, a flight observer with 815 NAS.

What can the missile target?

As a result of its remarkable precision, the Martlet missile is capable of targeting a threat across land, sea and air.

The missiles saw their operational debut on the Wildcat helicopters in 2021, since when their role has expanded.

No longer solely focused on traditional adversaries, attention has been redirected towards combating the rising threat of drones.

"We've trialled it for use against small drones conducting firings against those last year successfully, and it's a capability we're keen to continue to develop," said Lt Randles-Hall.

What else are the Wildcats armed with?

Based at Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, 815 Naval Air Squadron stands ever-ready to push the boundaries of the Wildcat's capabilities.

Alongside the Martlet and Sea Venom missiles, these versatile helicopters boast additional armaments including the M3 cabin-mounted gun and Stingray torpedoes.

In the ever-changing landscape of modern warfare, the versatility of the Wildcat helicopter has never been more vital.