Initial operating capability (IOC) has been met for the anti-ship Sea Venom missile, meaning it can now be deployed with Wildcat helicopters on front-line duties, the Royal Navy unveiled.
IOC was achieved during Operation Highmast – the Royal Navy’s global mission to the Indo-Pacific led by flagship HMS Prince of Wales.
Four Wildcats from 815 Naval Air Squadron are armed with Sea Venom on the deployment, spread across the Carrier Strike Group on carrier HMS Prince of Wales, destroyer HMS Dauntless and Norwegian frigate HNoMS Roald Amundsen.
“The introduction of Sea Venom is a step-change in our combat power. It delivers a lethal combination of precision, reach, and flexibility that allows us to strike decisively against a wide spectrum of threats in the maritime, coastal, and land domains,” Commanding Officer of 815 Naval Air Squadron, Commander James Woods , said.
According to the navy, Sea Venom provides the long-range armament of the Future Anti-Surface Guided Weapon (FASGW) program, with the short-range capability delivered by the Martlet missile, which is already in service.
It is an advanced weapon that utilises an ‘operator-in-the-loop’, allowing for real-time adjustments mid-flight to control the missile’s trajectory. A Wildcat can carry up to four Sea Venoms, giving it the ability to strike multiple targets in a single sortie or unleashing a salvo against one target.
The missile carries enough destructive power to target larger warships – like corvettes and patrol ships. It is also capable of engaging coastal installations and land-based targets with a high degree of accuracy.
An infra-red image is transmitted from up to four weapons simultaneously back to the operator, allowing them to control targeting.
“It strengthens our ability to safeguard the maritime environment, reassure allies, and deters adversaries. This capability ensures our aircrew can operate with confidence against a wide spectrum of threats, reinforcing the UKs commitment to delivering decisive air power at and from the sea,” Commander UK Carrier Strike Group, Commodore James Blackmore , stated.
“The integration of Sea Venom into a Ship’s Wildcat Flight at sea represents a significant enhancement to the Royal Navy’s lethality via its ability to strike targets at range. It’s precision, range, and versatility ensures that our frontline crews are equipped to meet the challenges of a multi domain and complex environment,” Commander of the Wildcat Maritime Force, Commander Andrew Henderson , added.