Royal Navy Wildcats arrive in Cyprus to bolster aerial defences

Armed with air-to-air Martlet missiles to take down drones fired at the island, the Wildcats were offloaded from an RAF C-17 transporter at RAF Akrotiri following a flight from RNAS Yeovilton in Somerset.

Although still to be tested in action, the Wildcat-Martlet combination has proved successful repeatedly on test ranges with aircrew repeatedly destroying aerial drones.

The Commanding Officer of 815 NAS, Commander James Woods, said: “The deployment of 815 Naval Air Squadron Wildcat attack helicopters to Cyprus demonstrates our ability to respond rapidly to emerging threats and protect UK interests wherever they arise.

“We bring a highly-capable strike capability, and in this role they are providing a vital layer of defence against uncrewed aerial systems targeting UK Sovereign Base Areas.

“I’m immensely proud of the professionalism and adaptability shown by our engineers, logisticians and aviators. The current threat environment demands speed, adaptability and close integration with joint partners, while our advanced sensors and precision missiles ensure we can detect, track and, when necessary, defeat hostile drones before they threaten our people or infrastructure.

“This deployment highlights the flexibility of Maritime Aviation Strike, delivered by Wildcat HMA 2, and the commitment of 815 NAS to protect UK interests abroad and at home.

“Our people train constantly for exactly this kind of mission, and it’s a privilege to see their professionalism and combat readiness delivering protection of Cyprus.”