Sea Venom (missile)

Sea Venom is an Anglo-French lightweight anti-ship missile developed by MBDA to equip the French Navy and the Royal Navy.[4] The missile is known as Anti-Navire Léger (ANL) in France and Sea Venom (formerly "Future Anti-Surface Guided Weapon (Heavy)") in the United Kingdom. Initial operating capability is expected with the Royal Navy in 2022.[5][6][7] The first test launch, from an AS365 Dauphin of the French DGA defence procurement agency, successfully occurred on 21 June 2017.[8][9]

For the 1950s jet aircraft, see de Havilland Sea Venom.
Sea Venom
Anti-Navire Léger
TypeLight anti-ship missile
Place of originFrance
United Kingdom
Service history
Used byFrench Navy
Royal Navy
Production history
ManufacturerMBDA
Specifications
Mass110 kg (240 lb)[1]
Length2.5 m (8 ft 2 in)[1]
Diameter0.2 m (7.9 in)[1]
Warhead30 kg (66 lb)
Operational
range
20 km (12 mi; 11 nmi)[2]
Maximum speed High-subsonic
Launch
platform
AgustaWestland AW159
Eurocopter AS565 Panther
NHIndustries NH90
Airbus H160[3]

Design

Sea Venom is designed as a successor to the French Navy's AS 15 TT and Royal Navy's Sea Skua missiles. When in service, Sea Venom will equip Panther and NH90 helicopters in the French Navy and AgustaWestland AW159 Wildcat helicopters in the Royal Navy. Due to shared characteristics with its predecessors, MBDA claims Sea Venom will be able to readily integrate onto platforms already carrying Sea Skua and AS 15 TT.[4]

Much like its predecessors, Sea Venom is designed to attack surface targets, such as fast in-shore attack craft ranging in size of between 50-500 tonnes, as well as larger surface targets of up to corvette size. With its 30 kg warhead, the missile is also capable of inflicting significant damage to larger vessels through precision aim point selection, and can also attack static land-based targets. Whilst its precise range is currently unknown, MBDA has stated that the missile has a "long" stand-off range enabling it to be launched from beyond the reach of most modern air defence systems.[4] The missile is capable of several attack modes including sea skimming and "pop up/top attack."[2] Sea Venom uses an infrared seeker with the option of "man in the loop" track-via-missile guidance via data-link;[4] the high speed two-way data-link transmits the images "seen" by the seeker back to the operator, enabling them to remain in control of the missile throughout its flight in addition to having an autonomous engagement capability.[2]

MBDA is also working on a surface-launched variant of the missile.[8]

See also

References
  1. "Sea Venom datasheet" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 August 2020.
  2. MBDA' Sea Venom/Anti-Navire Leger (ANL) Antiship Missile Testing Well On Track - Navyrecognition.com, 13 October 2016
  3. MBDA’s New Anti-Ship Missile Makes Progress. Aviation International News. 31 May 2018.
  4. "SEA VENOM-ANL" (PDF). MBDA. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 November 2014. Retrieved 12 December 2014.
  5. https://www.savetheroyalnavy.org/the-martlet-missile-wildcat-helicopter-gets-its-claws/
  6. "FASGW(H) / ANL" (PDF). Retrieved 12 December 2014.
  7. Richard Scott (17 December 2018). "Sea Venom/ANL missile service entry faces year-long delay". IHS Janes. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
  8. Successful First Test Firing for MBDA Sea Venom / ANL Anti-ship Missile - Navyrecognition.com, 4 July 2017
  9. Hoyle, Craig (5 July 2017), "Anglo-French anti-ship missile completes first test", Flightglobal.com

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