Britain’s latest supersonic missile is fully ready for front-line action after completing extensive trials during an ‘explosive autumn’ of tests and exercises.

During the final day and night trials the Lightweight Multirole Missile – known as Martlet by the Royal Navy – blasted drones out of the sky and from the surface first off the Welsh coast, and later in the French Mediterranean, leaving behind “nothing but wreckage”.

Launched from Wildcat helicopters, Martlet can accelerate up to one and a half times the speed of sound, and despite its compact size and cost-effectiveness, it is highly manoeuvrable and remarkably lethal, as proven during these demanding trials.

The missile, produced in Belfast, will be supplied to the Indian Army under a recently announced £350 million deal, providing a significant boost to the UK defence industry and sustaining 700 jobs in Northern Ireland. Hundreds of the same missile have recently been delivered to Ukraine five months ahead of schedule under the UK gifting programme.

Using the ranges at Aberporth, Martlet was tested in Cardigan Bay against specially designed targets, built to mirror small uncrewed boats.

After reducing those targets to splinters, the aviators flew to Hyères on the Côte d’Azur to participate in the French led NATO exercise Wildfire.

This was a particularly demanding workout as wave after wave of uncrewed craft were launched at a French naval task force, with Wildcats working alongside French Panther and NH-90 helicopters and Rafale jets to fend them off.

The Wildcats were presented with four targets: two aerial drones – small, fast-moving, agile fixed wing Albas – and two surface targets (one at night) moving at speed across the Mediterranean.

Destroying the Albas was described as “like trying to kill a fly with a laser-guided dart” by Lieutenant Commander Rhydian Edwards, Officer in Command of the Operational Advantage Group Wildcat Maritime Force and resident Experimental Test Pilot.

Martlet is guided on to its target by the Wildcat crew with both targets quickly and successfully eliminated, as were the surface targets, leaving nothing but flotsam behind.

Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, Luke Pollard MP said: “The Martlet missile represents another significant leap forward in our capabilities and by supporting hundreds of UK jobs, shows how defence is an engine for growth while making Britain safer. Its precision against both aerial and surface threats showcases the Royal Navy’s cutting-edge technology and tactical excellence.

“This achievement, delivered following rigorous trials from the Welsh coast to the Mediterranean, equips our sailors with supersonic weapons, helping them keep Britain secure at home and strong abroad.”

Exercise Wildfire concluded with a demonstration for NATO allies as navies across the alliance wrestle with the challenge of drones above, on and beneath the waves – especially in view of the conflict in Ukraine and the Black Sea.

“I could not move for questions, compliments, and enquiries about the weapon system and its phenomenal ability to persecute fast moving uncrewed systems, with several commenting ‘It is the only effective weapon against the uncrewed threat,’” said a delighted Lieutenant Commander Edwards.

He said his team had pulled out all the stops to ensure the success of this autumn’s climactic trials – and would hugely benefit front-line operations “greatly increasing our understanding of the Wildcat’s weapon systems, allowing us to ensure that they can be employed to maximum lethality as demonstrated against air and surface targets alongside our UK and International partners on Exercise Wildfire.”

Martlet is one of two new missile systems introduced into service with the Wildcat, alongside the heavier Sea Venom which is designed to take out patrol ships/corvette-sized vessels and was declared at initial operating capability earlier this month.

Commander Andrew Henderson Commanding Officer Wildcat Maritime Force based at RNAS Yeovilton in Somerset, said: “Wildcat trials, in conjunction with our partner organisations, are all about pushing the boundaries of its warfighting capability.

“Testing and validating our aircraft against realistic targets in challenging environments ensure that we capture vital data allowing us to fully understand our cutting-edge weapon systems, staying ahead of evolving threats, and applying lessons learned to keep the platform’s claws razor-sharp for operations.”

In the trials both at Aberporth and in the Mediterranean, the squadron also tested the.50 calibre M3M machine gun to assess its effectiveness against the same target sets and inform tactics for yet another Wildcat surface warfare capability.