UK Navy Wildcat Helicopter Uses Multiple Drones for Live Targeting in First Mission.

British Royal Navy Wildcat helicopters have, for the first time, used live data from multiple drones to detect, track, and target a moving vehicle during a single mission. The January 30, 2026, demonstration highlights a significant advance in network-enabled warfare, showing how crewed aircraft can generate real-time targeting beyond visual range.

According to information published by the British Royal Navy, the milestone demonstration took place on January 30, 2026. It involved a crewed naval Wildcat helicopter integrating live sensor feeds from multiple uncrewed aerial systems during an operationally representative mission. Navy officials said the helicopter crew successfully fused drone data with other ground-based inputs to build a real-time targeting picture, enabling them to detect, track, and engage a moving vehicle without relying solely on onboard sensors or direct line of sight.
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A British Royal Navy unmanned aerial system is positioned on the ground as an AW159 Wildcat helicopter prepares for flight in the background during the Eagles Eye trials, highlighting crewed-uncrewed integration and network-enabled operations. (Picture source: British Royal Navy)

The trials were conducted from Predannack Airfield on Cornwall’s Lizard Peninsula and involved a British Royal Navy Wildcat helicopter operating as the central command node within a distributed sensor network. While airborne, the Wildcat crew received near-instantaneous intelligence from two unmanned aerial systems: a Puma surveillance drone operated by the British Royal Navy and a smaller Providence drone flown by industry partners, along with additional inputs from ground-based sensors. At several stages, the information flow was maintained over the horizon and beyond the line of sight, highlighting the robustness of the communications architecture.

From a military capability perspective, the defining achievement was transforming the Wildcat into an airborne command-and-control platform capable of orchestrating multiple uncrewed assets while maneuvering tactically. Lieutenant Commander Rhydian Edwards, Officer in Command of the Wildcat Maritime Force Operational Advantage Group at RNAS Yeovilton, explained that the aircraft effectively became a flying command centre. For the first time, a British Royal Navy helicopter crew sent and received live data from multiple drones during an operational flight, using remote nodes to pull information from any system connected to the network.

The Puma drone, which has been in British Royal Navy service for more than six years with 700X Naval Air Squadron based at RNAS Culdrose, was operated directly from the Wildcat’s cabin. Simultaneously, the crew received a live video feed from the Providence drone, piloted externally by UAV Aerosystems. The combined sensor picture enabled the Wildcat crew to locate and share multiple targets in the area, demonstrating how helicopters could silently build situational awareness and then cue precision engagement, including the potential use of the Martlet lightweight missile carried by the aircraft.

In service with the British Royal Navy, the AW159 Wildcat helicopter is one of the fleet’s most versatile front-line rotary-wing platforms, optimized for maritime strike, surveillance, and surface attack missions. Operating from frigates, destroyers, and shore bases, the Wildcat integrates modern radar, electro-optical sensors, and secure datalinks with precision weapons such as the Martlet missile, enabling it to detect, track, and engage fast-attack craft and asymmetric threats in complex littoral environments. Its role as an over-the-horizon sensor and strike asset makes it a critical enabler for naval task groups, a function significantly expanded by its new ability to act as an airborne command node for uncrewed systems.

The Puma unmanned aerial system, operated by the British Royal Navy’s specialist 700X Naval Air Squadron, provides persistent intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance in support of both surface and aviation units. Ship-capable and rapidly deployable, Puma extends the sensor reach of warships and helicopters well beyond the visual horizon by delivering real-time electro-optical and infrared imagery. Its low acoustic signature and endurance make it particularly valuable for maritime security, force protection, and target cueing, serving as a forward sensor that feeds live data into the British Royal Navy’s wider combat network.

At the core of the Eagles Eye trials was a decentralized MESH network architecture designed to survive disruption in contested environments. Unlike traditional point-to-point communications, the MESH network allows each node to relay data dynamically, automatically rerouting information if a link is degraded or destroyed. This self-healing capability has proven decisive in Ukraine, where similar systems have enabled allied forces to maintain command, control, and targeting functions under sustained electronic warfare pressure, a lesson directly applied by the British Royal Navy during these trials.

The activity brought together specialists from the British Royal Navy’s experimental drone unit 700X, Wildcat crews from 847 Naval Air Squadron, and industry partners including MarWorks, TeleplanForsberg, General Dynamics, C3IA, UAV Aerosystems, and Collins Aerospace. Their shared objective was to overcome long-standing interoperability barriers between sensors, platforms, and weapon systems. Lieutenant Commander Edwards described the architecture as a universal translator, eliminating the need for bespoke interfaces whenever a new drone or sensor is introduced into service.

Commander Andrew Henderson, Commanding Officer of the British Royal Navy’s Wildcat Maritime Force, said the trials clearly demonstrate the operational direction under the Hybrid Navy concept. He emphasized that the decisive advantage lies not in any single drone, but in secure, resilient network access that connects sensors and shooters instantly across the battlespace. By hardening these links and embracing modular design, the British Royal Navy aims to field a force that is both more lethal and more difficult to disrupt in a high-intensity conflict.

The lessons learned during Eagles Eye will now be carried forward into the next major operational deployment of the British Royal Navy’s Wildcat force. Later this year, the helicopters will deploy to Norway, where these crewed and uncrewed teaming tactics will be tested alongside the Royal Norwegian Navy in the fjords around Bergen. There, the Wildcats are expected to refine their role as airborne command hubs for countering fast attack craft and other asymmetric maritime threats in complex littoral environments.

Written by Alain Servaes – Chief Editor, Army Recognition Group
Alain Servaes is a former infantry non-commissioned officer and the founder of Army Recognition. With over 20 years in defense journalism, he provides expert analysis on military equipment, NATO operations, and the global defense industry.