The United Kingdom continues to strengthen Ukrainian air defense and is already transferring thousands of Martlet missiles to Ukraine, which have proven their effectiveness during real combat operations against Iranian drones. This was reported by military observer Wes O'Donnell, according to UNN.
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According to his data, the British military used Martlet missiles to destroy more than 100 enemy drones during operations in the Middle East. Following this, the UK Ministry of Defence signed new contracts for the production of additional batches of these missiles.
This refers to the Lightweight Multirole Missile (LMM), better known as the Martlet. According to the author, Ukraine is set to receive a total of 6,000 such missiles. In March 2025, London announced the procurement of 5,000 Martlets for Ukraine, and in February 2026, it additionally allocated another thousand.
The Martlet weighs about 13 kilograms, has a range of over 6 kilometers, and can be launched from land, sea, and air platforms. One of the main features of the missile is its laser-beam guidance system, which makes it particularly effective against drones with a small thermal signature, specifically strike UAVs.
The article notes that the missiles have already been integrated into RapidRanger systems, which were previously transferred to Ukraine with UK support.
Experts emphasize that the Martlet will not replace Patriot, IRIS-T, or NASAMS systems, but will become an important element of a multi-layered air defense system. Such missiles can be used to protect energy infrastructure, airfields, bridges, logistics centers, and other critical facilities from drone attacks.
According to the author, Thales, which produces the Martlet in Belfast, has quadrupled production of these missiles since 2022 due to rising demand.