UK Successfully Tests Sea Venom Missile in Major Step Toward Enhanced Naval Defense

The UK Ministry of Defence successfully conducted a live fire trial of the Sea Venom missile at the Aberporth range in west Wales. During the test, the Sea Venom hit a target barge, marking a significant step forward in the missile’s development.

Sea Venom, also known as the Anti-Navire Léger in France, is a joint project between the UK and France. The missile is being developed to meet the Royal Navy's Future Anti-Surface Guided Weapon or FASGW – requirements. This missile is designed to enhance the capabilities of the Wildcat HMA.2 helicopter by allowing it to engage surface targets up to the size of a corvette, as well as coastal and land-based threats.

Weighing around 110 kg, the high-subsonic Sea Venom missile carries a 30 kg semi-armour piercing warhead. Its advanced propulsion system allows it to perform a range of flight profiles, including sea-skimming, with an operational range of approximately 20 km.

The missile’s guidance system uses an imaging infrared seeker, supplemented by a two-way datalink that allows for operator-in-the-loop control. This feature enables flexible options such as mid-flight retargeting, aimpoint correction, and the ability to safely abort if necessary. Although Sea Venom can operate autonomously in a “fire and forget” mode, the real-time control gives it added versatility.

On October 5, a guided test firing saw the Sea Venom missile launched from the starboard side of a Wildcat helicopter. According to Lieutenant Commander Robin Kenchington of 744 Naval Air Squadron, the test was highly successful, with the missile demonstrating excellent in-flight performance and accuracy on the target.

The target for the test was a barge outfitted with three containers equipped with heating elements, designed by QinetiQ engineers to mimic the thermal signature of a real target.

Initially, Sea Venom was slated for operational deployment on the Wildcat HMA2 by October 2020, but delays in design and integration caused setbacks. Despite this, some Sea Venom missiles were deployed with Carrier Strike Group 21 in 2021 under limited clearance. Full operational deployment is now expected in 2026, with a more advanced version expected to be featured in next year’s CSG25 deployment.

Sea Venom will work in conjunction with the in-service Martlet missile system, which was developed to fulfill the Future Anti-Surface Guided Weapon requirement. The Martlet is a lightweight, laser-guided missile capable of targeting fast attack craft.

Leonardo, the design authority for FASGW integration on the Wildcat HMA2, has created a new winged stores carrier that allows the helicopter to carry both Sea Venom and Martlet missiles. This winged design helps reduce stress on the main rotor and provides additional lift during forward flight.

On the French side, plans to equip the H160M helicopter with the Sea Venom/ANL missile have been put on hold due to budget constraints in the 2024-2030 Military Programming Law. Instead, the French Defense Ministry is exploring the integration of Thales-manufactured laser-guided rockets into the H160M.

This milestone trial reaffirms the Sea Venom's potential as a key component of the UK’s future naval defense capabilities.