What Is the Martlet (LMM)? Thales’s Lightweight Multirole Missile
The Martlet, formally the Lightweight Multirole Missile (LMM), is a Thales-built missile weighing just 13 kilograms yet remarkably versatile. It can be used in four different roles — air-to-surface, air-to-air, surface-to-air and surface-to-surface — making it compatible with a wide range of platforms from helicopters to ships, land vehicles to coastal defence.
What Is the Martlet?
The Martlet is a concrete example of the “one missile, many missions” philosophy. It is designed for the small targets where expensive, heavy missiles would be wasted — drones, fast attack boats, light armoured vehicles. Though it comes from the same family as STARStreak, it serves a different purpose: where STARStreak is a pure air-defence weapon, the Martlet is a versatile munition that can engage both air and surface targets. A two-stage rocket motor accelerates it after a safe launch distance from the firer.
Technical Specifications
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| System type | Lightweight multirole missile (air/surface/sea) |
| Manufacturer | Thales Air Defence (UK) |
| Weight | ~13 kg |
| Length / diameter | 1.3 m / 76 mm |
| Maximum speed | Mach 1.5 |
| Range | 8 km (minimum 400 m) |
| Warhead | 3 kg shaped-charge fragmentation, laser proximity sensor |
| Guidance | Laser beam-riding (optional seekers: semi-active laser, IR, GPS/INS) |
| Platforms | AW159 Wildcat helicopter, STARStreak launchers, Stormer vehicle |
Mission Profile and Significance
The Martlet’s greatest strength is cost-effectiveness. In modern warfare it makes no economic sense to hit a small drone or a fast attack boat with a million-dollar missile; the Martlet fills exactly that gap. It is integrated on the Royal Navy’s AW159 Wildcat helicopters, where two weapon wings and four stations let a single helicopter carry up to 20 Martlets. The British Army has also integrated the Martlet with STARStreak launchers (the single canister, the Lightweight Multiple Launcher and the Stormer vehicle), so one launcher can take on both air-defence and surface-target missions.
Operators
The Martlet’s primary user is the United Kingdom (Royal Navy and Army). The system has also featured in Western aid packages to Ukraine and been the subject of various export discussions.
Competitors and Türkiye
The Martlet’s rivals include the U.S. APKWS guided rocket, various light guided missiles and counter-drone weapons. For Türkiye, a similar mission span is covered by Roketsan’s light guided munitions such as the CİRİT (70 mm laser-guided missile) and L-UMTAS. These systems likewise offer cost-effective solutions against small and medium targets from helicopters and light platforms.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the Martlet used for? A cost-effective multirole missile against small targets such as drones, fast boats and light armoured vehicles.
- What is its range? 8 km (minimum 400 m).
- What platforms use it? The AW159 Wildcat helicopter, STARStreak launchers and the Stormer vehicle.
- Is it the same as STARStreak? No; it is from the same family but the Martlet is multirole against both air and surface targets.
- How is it guided? Primarily laser beam-riding, with optional additional seekers.
