British Navy Declares Martlet Missile Fully Operational from Wildcat Helicopters Boosting Anti-Ship Power.

The British Royal Navy has confirmed that the Martlet lightweight anti-ship missile is now fully operational on its Wildcat helicopters. The milestone gives the fleet a stronger ability to detect and defeat small, fast-moving maritime threats across global deployment zones.

London, UK, October 21, 2025 - The British Royal Navy announced on October 21, 2025, that the Martlet missile, developed by Thales UK, has reached full operational capability aboard Wildcat helicopters of 815 Naval Air Squadron. The achievement follows extensive live-fire and integration trials, confirming that the helicopter fleet can now deliver precision anti-ship strikes against fast inshore attack craft and other surface targets. Naval officials described the milestone as a major boost to the UK’s ability to protect carrier strike groups and conduct littoral security operations.
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British Royal Navy Wildcat HMA2 helicopter of 815 Naval Air Squadron launches a Martlet anti-ship missile during live-fire trials, showcasing its precision engagement capability against fast-moving maritime threats. (Picture source: British Royal Navy)

The Martlet, officially designated the Lightweight Multirole Missile (LMM), is a new-generation air-launched guided weapon developed by Thales UK to meet the growing demand for precision strike capabilities in modern naval warfare. Designed to be compact, fast, and highly accurate, Martlet offers the British Royal Navy a highly responsive tool for targeting small, high-speed surface threats such as fast inshore attack craft (FIAC), rigid-hull inflatable boats (RHIBs), and even unmanned aerial systems (UAS).

Martlet weighs approximately 13 kilograms, measures 1.3 meters in length, and can reach speeds of over Mach 1.5. It uses a laser beam-riding guidance system, giving the launching Wildcat helicopter the ability to maintain control and adjust the missile’s trajectory during flight. This allows for accurate engagement of small, maneuvering targets at sea with minimal risk of collateral damage. Each Wildcat helicopter operated by 815 NAS can carry up to 20 Martlet missiles, creating a formidable airborne arsenal ideal for patrol, escort, and interdiction missions.

The Wildcat HMA2, developed by Leonardo (formerly AgustaWestland), is the British Royal Navy’s primary maritime helicopter, specifically designed to operate from warships in high-threat environments. It plays a pivotal role in naval operations, providing advanced surface surveillance, over-the-horizon targeting, anti-submarine warfare, and maritime strike. Equipped with a suite of sensors including maritime radar, electro-optical/infrared systems, and a dipping sonar, the Wildcat acts as the eyes and ears of British Royal Navy surface combatants. With the integration of Martlet, it now gains a decisive offensive capability, transforming it from a reconnaissance and support platform into a fully armed hunter capable of independent action.

815 Naval Air Squadron, based at Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton in Somerset, is the largest front-line helicopter squadron in the British Royal Navy. Tasked with providing Wildcat flights for Royal Navy surface vessels around the globe, 815 NAS maintains high readiness for global deployment. The squadron supports operations on board Type 23 frigates, Type 45 destroyers, Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers, and offshore patrol vessels. Known for its versatility and constant presence in deployed task groups, 815 NAS plays a vital role in maritime security, counter-piracy, deterrence patrols, and high-intensity naval exercises. With Martlet now fully integrated, 815 NAS is positioned at the forefront of the British Royal Navy’s shift toward agile, precision maritime strike from the air.

For the British Royal Navy, the operational deployment of Martlet significantly enhances the tactical value of the Wildcat, particularly within 815 NAS, which supplies embarked helicopter flights to a wide range of Royal Navy warships. These include Type 23 frigates, Type 45 destroyers, Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers, and River-class offshore patrol vessels. The Wildcat’s compact size and marinized construction allow it to operate from smaller deck ships, making it an essential asset for distributed maritime operations.

Martlet’s development began as part of the Future Anti-Surface Guided Weapon (FASGW) program to equip the British Royal Navy with a scalable response to asymmetric threats in congested littoral zones. Over the past four years, the missile has undergone rigorous live-fire trials, including successful engagements against both drone targets and fast-moving surface vessels. These trials validated its precision targeting, rapid acceleration, and high hit probability, leading to its formal declaration as fully operational.

With 815 NAS now fully equipped, the British Royal Navy gains a rapid-reaction strike capability from the air, especially relevant in regions such as the Gulf, Red Sea, and Eastern Mediterranean, where Iranian-style swarming boat tactics and drone incursions have become a regular threat. Martlet enables British Royal Navy ships to engage these threats at a safe distance, reducing the risk to larger fleet units while maintaining escalation control in contested waters.

Strategically, Martlet reflects a broader evolution in British Royal Navy doctrine toward distributed, flexible lethality. The missile’s light weight and modularity allow it to be deployed not only from helicopters but also, in the future, from ground vehicles and potentially unmanned platforms. Its precision and versatility also make it suitable for rules-of-engagement scenarios where larger missiles or heavy gunfire would be disproportionate or too risky.

This capability enhancement also supports interoperability within NATO and multinational maritime coalitions, particularly in joint operations where the ability to counter small boat swarms and aerial threats is vital. With its modular architecture, Martlet can be adapted for future mission profiles, and discussions have already begun around export variants for allied naval forces facing similar threats.

The entry of Martlet into front-line service with 815 NAS underscores the British Royal Navy’s commitment to staying ahead of emerging threats and filling critical gaps in littoral and near-shore warfare. It ensures that British warships now deploy not just with superior sensors and helicopters, but with helicopters that are armed and ready to strike decisively against unconventional surface threats. The Wildcat, already a vital force multiplier for British Royal Navy task groups, now adds lethal precision strike to its suite of maritime roles—extending the reach, survivability, and effectiveness of every ship it operates from.

As 815 NAS prepares for upcoming deployments with Martlet-equipped Wildcats, Army Recognition will continue to follow the operational integration of this new missile and its impact on the tactical flexibility and global reach of the British Royal Navy.

Written by Alain Servaes – Chief Editor, Army Recognition Group
Alain Servaes is a former infantry non-commissioned officer and the founder of Army Recognition. With over 20 years in defense journalism, he provides expert analysis on military equipment, NATO operations, and the global defense industry.