RN Fleet Air Arm: Wildcat Helicopter Squadrons

[Pelican]

Navy Lookout

First photos of RN Wildcat helicopter carrying Sea Venom missiles at sea during recent flying trials on RFA Argus involving 815 NAS.
Photos at - https://twitter.com/NavyLookout/status/ ... 3140210689
And - https://twitter.com/NavyLookout/status/ ... 8076149765

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Royal Navy Wildcat Helicopter Tests New Martlet Missile for Defence Against Small Boat Attacks

The Royal Navy has successfully tested a new missile system designed to protect the UK’s new aircraft carriers from attacks by swarms of small boats. It is the first time this type of missile has been launched on frontline operations by the Royal Navy after rigorous testing at ranges off the UK coast by the Yeovilton-based Wildcat Maritime Force last year.
See -https://siamtoo.com/8810/

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RN press realse confirms Ship Helicopter Operating Limits (SHOL) flying trials on board
RFA Argus in July cleared Wildcat to carry Martlet, Sea Venom (and Sting Ray) in a .
variety of configurations on the new weapon wing.

See - https://twitter.com/NavyLookout/status/ ... 3140210689

And - https://twitter.com/NavyLookout/status/ ... 8856580097

[Pelican]

The AW159 Wildcat spotted while conducting high altitude tests with a load of 20 Martlet missiles.

After completing a testing campaign in the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea recently, the Royal Navy’s AW159 helicopter moved to northeastern Italy, where it is involved, since Oct. 19, 2022, in additional testing on the Altopiano di Asiago, a vast plateau located in the Northern part of the province of Vicenza. With an elevation of 3,409 feet, Asiago airport is the highest in Italy.
As happened during the trials aboard RFA Argus, the Italian campaign saw the specially instrumented Wildcat ZZ513 fly in pretty heavy configurations: for instance, between Oct. 26-27, 2022, our contributor Claudio Tramontin saw the AW159 operate from Asiago with a full array of 20 Martlet missiles.

Continues at - https://theaviationist.com/2022/10/28/m ... -in-italy/

[Pelican]

New Weapons Loading System Trainer installed at RNAS Yeovilton to prepare crews to arm Wildcat helicopters with Martlet and Sea Venom missiles + Sting Ray torpedoes.

See <https://twitter.com/NavyLookout/status/ ... 7424646145>
And https://twitter.com/NavyLookout/status/ ... 61/photo/1

[Pelican]

New Weapons Loading System Trainer installed at RNAS Yeovilton to prepare crews to arm Wildcat helicopters with Martlet and Sea Venom missiles + Sting Ray torpedoes.

See <https://twitter.com/NavyLookout/status/ ... 7424646145>
And https://twitter.com/NavyLookout/status/ ... 61/photo/1

See - https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-l ... le-systems

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Having smashed all their training targets, 847 Naval Air Squadron’s personnel and their Commando Wildcats have started to return back to RNAS Yeovilton.

The Squadron has been on Operation Clockwork, which is run by the Commando Helicopter Force.
Photos at - https://twitter.com/POPhot_K_Heller/sta ... 9287735296

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Wildcat of 815 NAS flew Adm Tony Radakin and Army CGS from Wellington Barracks to Winchester yesterday.

En route demonstrated new heavy weapons capability - note Sea Venom missiles on the weapon wing.

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With a 360 radar system, a range of 420 nautical miles, top speed of 157 knots and the ability to fly in extreme conditions all year round... the Wildcat helicopter is a cool bit of kit.
And that's just scratching the surface.
Come on a guided tour with us to see what else it can do.

See video at - https://www.facebook.com/watch/?ref=sea ... helicopter

Older video at - https://www.facebook.com/watch/?ref=sea ... helicopter

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“It’s going to be a game changer.”

It’s an exciting time for the RoyalNavy’s Wildcat helos of 815NAS and 825NAS as new missiles and planned developments are taking aviators back to their roots as war fighters, capable of searching for and destroying enemy ships if required.

Navy Wildcats gunning for their true potential in 2024

New weaponry and tech will help the Royal Navy's fleet of Wildcat maritime attack helicopters reach their true potential in 2024 after nearly ten years of front-line operations.
The true identity of this small, highly manoeuvrable helicopter is really only starting to reveal itself to the world as it ascends to its rightful place as a snarling maritime attack helicopter bristling with weaponry.

In its early phases of life it didn’t really reflect that, seldom did it carry anything that could sink or incapacitate an adversary’s ship or submarine.

The Wildcat has now grown its ‘teeth and claws’ with its weapon wings bristling with Martlet missiles for taking out boat swarms or small ships, Sting Ray torpedoes for hitting submarines and, soon, Sea Venom missiles able to take out larger surface targets – corvettes or frigates.

Not to mention the Wildcat can wield a .50 calibre machine gun on its door and play host to Royal Marines sniper teams capable of knocking out a drug smuggling speed boat from range.

It means Wildcat aviators are getting back to one of their main purposes… war fighting.

“Ultimately our job is to search for find and sink enemy ships if needs be,” said Lieutenant Scott Sunderland, instructor pilot with 825 Naval Air Squadron and part of the Black Cats display team who thrill audiences at air shows with their dynamic flying displays in Wildcats.

Continues at - https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-l ... s-in-focus