Weapon-winged Wildcat Unveiled as Sea Venom Advances | Aviation International News

Weapon-winged Wildcat Unveiled as Sea Venom Advances

A new weapons wing allows the Wildcat naval helicopter to carry up to 20 Martlet or four Sea Venom missiles, or a combination of both.

A Wildcat HMA2 flies a test mission fitted with the weapon wing. It is carrying four Sea Venom representative rounds. (Photo: Leonardo)

By David Donald • Contributor - UK

March 10, 2020

Leonardo has shown the Wildcat Weapon Wing for the AW159 naval Wildcat HMA2 helicopter for the first time. The wing, which permits the Wildcat to launch missiles, was displayed during a week-long public engagement exercise in Liverpool by the UK’s latest aircraft carrier, HMS Prince of Wales (deck number R09).

Graphics of the weapon carrier were first made public by Leonardo in February 2018, but the design has been enhanced aerodynamically since then, adding 360 kilograms (794 pounds) of lift to help offset the extra weight of the wing and its missiles. Made from aluminum and carbon-fiber composites, the wing has four hardpoints, each of which can carry a cluster of five Thales Martlet lightweight laser-guided missiles in their launch tubes, or a single MBDA Sea Venom. Other weaponry carried by the Wildcat includes the BAE Systems Stingray torpedo, Mk 11 depth charges, and pintle-mounted 0.5-in (12.7-mm) machine-gun.

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