A Lynx helicopter embarked on the Royal Navy’s Type 23 frigate HMS Portland carried out one final Sea Skua anti-ship missile firing.
Royal Navy will no longer be using the Sea Skua missile as the Lynx helicopters carrying it are set to retire in March.
This will leave the Royal Navy with a helicopter anti-ship missile gap until the new Sea Venom, and the smaller Martlett missile are introduced to the fleet in 2020.
What is more, Royal Navy warships will also be left without an anti-ship missile once the Harpoon is retired in 2019.
Sea Skua has been in service since the Falklands in 1982, when it was rushed into action and was used to sink several Argentine vessels.
The Sea Skua missile was also used against the Iraqi Navy in the first Gulf War in 1991, wrecking 14 enemy ships.
With Lynx retiring from service at the end of March – there’s a final fly-past by the remaining helicopters over southern England on Friday March 17, weather permitting – Sea Skua is also ending its service as its not compatible with the Lynx’s successor, Wildcat.
The latter will receive two new replacements for Sea Skua: the heavy anti-ship missile Sea Venom, and the smaller Martlett to be used against RIBs and small boats.