During a recent trial, a Wildcat helicopter of 815 Naval Air Squadron shot down a Banshee target drone. The is the first time a Wildcat has detected, tracked, and engaged a drone without outside assistance, giving the aircraft an important air-air capability.
During the two-day trial, the Banshee jet flying at hundreds of miles an hour over the Bristol Channel was launched from a ramp at the Manorbier range, near Tenby, in Southwest Wales. In the video released by the RN, the Martlet can be seen to explode above the Banshee target actuated by the proximity fuse.
Martlet is a lightweight, multi-role, laser-guided missile originally acquired for use against small, manoeuvrable surface targets such as fast attack craft, jet skis and speedboats. This new adaptation will allow the helicopter to intercept up to 20 drones when carrying a full outfit of missiles. This adds another layer of protection to the fleet – a need that was demonstrated when HMS Diamond repeatedly faced the threat of UAS fired by Houthi rebels at shipping in the Red Sea. The Wildcat can get airborne quickly to respond to incoming threats and rapidly reposition to provide counter-drone screening, all while providing a simultaneous anti-surface capability.
The Sea Venom missile was successfully tested earlier this year and, when finally in service in 2026, will give the Wildcat a full set of weapons that are appropriate to different threats. Helicopters are not renowned for their air-air capabilities, but although optimised for targeting relatively slow-moving UAS, Martlet could even provide some deterrent to fixed-wing aircraft.
The UK seem to be on the same page as the US when it comes to air-to-air engagements using the AIM-9X Sidewinder Block II and possibly the AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile on their AH-1Z Viper going forward.
Good.
Needs a gun pod in one of pylons for smaller drones, the IR head in the Wildcat need to be able to do independent search and warning to the operator.
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Text corrected. initially made confusion with Sea Venom.
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Btw search for recent video of an Israeli AH-64 downing a drone with the gun.
They already have the door gunner option if required.
Think it will be preferable an heavier gun in 25-30mm class.
Nope. This is that helicopter
The Gulf mod lynx had amongst many of its optional extras, a 50 cal M3 gun pod.
As the back endy on a Gulf deployment I worked a lot with the Flight who had it. The initial fit had a mass of issues.
Some examples.
Muzzle blast stoved in access panels around the pilots/observer’s door area.
The big Sea Spray radar access door could be loosened and fly open in flight. Another flight had the whole seaspray nose fly open in flight when firing!
Vibration was massive from when it fired. You cannot use dampers between the gun and the weapon carrier as that affected accuracy.
No gunsight…it was a chinagraph cross drawn on the pilot’s windscreen (True Dit!)
Eventually they sorted most of it.
Stronger access panels retrofitted.
Silver speed tape applied all over the place to stop panels opening in flight during a shoot.
A proper gun sight fitted.
A new muzzle brake that directed the blast up and down at 0 and 180 degs keeping it clear of the panels but the sheet of flame passing the doors was…disconcerting…
Still had issues with being a fwd firing only weapon so relative launch and recovery only when armed.
The gun jammed but could be electrically cycled sometimes
Range was short.
All in all, more proof that no weapon system is ever plug and play when it gets into the real world…
In short, a longer standoff range is your friend as well as laser homing missiles.
Thanks for the story Gunbuster
As I understand it, and please someone correct me if I am wrong, the Martlet missile, at least in its current form, homes on the target illuminated by the Wildcat’s laser and consequently it will, at least for now, only be possible to engage on target at a time.
Its a similar homing system to that on Starstreak.
Yes one shot at a time only.
But You have lots of shots with a 12 s flight time out to 8+km.
You can fly parallel to the target as the illuminator is in the PID turret in the nose.
Range of the helo means you can start hitting things way further out and you dont need to wait for the drone to come to you.
Thank you, that is what I had thought. The operational implications are that this system would be effective against a swarm attack of drones or seaborne fast attack craft but less so against more than one or two faster flying cruise missiles. Nevertheless, a useful addition to the RN’s deployable weapons.
Lots of operator skill involved in this solution, very impressive from the air crews.
Martlet will also be able to be used by the Stormer HVM if I am not mistaken, providing Proximity fused munitions to support Starstreak in air defence and light anti armour capabilities for combating IFVs. Thales did offer a CIWS system that was built around Starstreak HVM so they are capable missiles for Air 2 Air with Martlet being slower at Mach 1.7ish but providing more room for error with its proximity fuse 🙂
martlet has a dialable fuse. Direct hit, or proximity. Depends on what you are shooting at.
Indeed, very versatile and multi role having such a fuse 🙂 …fitting the same Launchers as Starstreak makes having Martlet so handy 😀