Cleared hot: Wildcat destroys Banshee drone using Martlet missile during trials

A Fleet Air Arm Wildcat helicopter has shot down a simulated attack drone using a Martlet missile - a milestone in its development.

During a training exercise, the 815 Naval Air Squadron (NAS) helicopter used the advanced Martlet maritime anti-surface missile to engage and destroy the British-made Banshee target drone.

Explosive footage was released by the squadron of the exercise, showing the helicopter tracking the target before launching the missile to destroy the Banshee as it flew over the water.

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The squadron wrote on social media: "A crew from 815 NAS have independently detected, tracked and engaged a Banshee drone with a Martlet missile during trials, a milestone for Wildcat maritime strike."

This was the first time a Wildcat had independently located a target using its radar or infra-red scanner, tracked it and then destroyed it with a Martlet missile.

Martlet is the Royal Navy's name for the Lightweight Multirole Missile (LMM), which is made by Thales. It is actually an air defence missile that has been adapted for use against ground or surface targets.

The Martlet missile can be used against threats from drones to small, fast attack boats.

Weighing 13kg, the lightweight weapons system has an operational range of 6km and a speed of Mach 1.5.

The missile was fired at sea during the UK Carrier Strike Deployment in 2021 for the first time.

Since 2022, Ukraine has been gifted with hundreds of Martlet missiles which have been used to repel Russian forces.

Martlet is also being used in support of operations In the Middle East, protecting commercial ships from attacks by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea.