Ukrainian troops reportedly are using a British-supplied new lightweight Martlet missile to shoot down Russian aircraft.
According to some reports, like one from Militarnyi, Ukrainian Soldiers used them against Russian unmanned surveillance and reconnaissance aerial vehicles.
The Thales Martlet, also called the Lightweight Multirole Missile (LMM), is the latest generation of lightweight, precision strike, missiles, which has been designed to provide a rapid reaction to a wide range of surface threats as well as surface-to-air capability against UAVs and helicopters.
Developed as the Lightweight Multirole Missile (LMM) to meet the UK’s “Future Air-to-Surface Guided Weapon (Light)” requirement, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) placed an initial order for 1,000 missiles with deliveries due to start in 2013. However, the initial operating capability was considerably delayed and took place in 2021 with full operating capability anticipated in 2024.
The LMM Martlet missile is aerodynamically designed and has a launch weight of 13 kg, a length of 1.3 m and a hull diameter of 76 mm.
Dual-effect warhead weighs 3 kg, when firing at an air target is detonated by a non-contact laser detonator.