As part of the signing of the new Trinity House defense agreement between Germany and Great Britain, Ukraine gets the opportunity to develop its offensive capabilities. According to Defense Express , among the main aspects of this agreement is the arming of the Sea King helicopters, which Germany is transferring to Ukraine, with modern missile systems.
Although details of the specific systems have not yet been released, they are being developed by MDBA, a company in which both countries have stakes. One of the most likely options is Brimstone missiles, which are already actively supplied to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. However, the integration of these missiles on Sea King helicopters may be complicated, because previously the UK refused to install them on its AH-64E Apache, choosing the American AGM-179 JAGM.
Another potential option is the Marte ER anti-ship missile, which is already integrated on NH90 helicopters. This missile has a range of over 100 km and can hit ground targets. Its installation on the Sea King will significantly expand the combat capabilities of the helicopter, although the effectiveness against ground objects may be limited by the weight of the warhead.
The possibility of using the French Exocet AM39 missiles, which have a range of up to 70 km, is also being considered, and the modern version of the MM40 Block 3 is capable of hitting targets at a distance of up to 200 km. Alternatively, options using the LMM Martlet or FZ275 LGR to destroy aerial targets such as drones are possible, but the Sea King would require an optical sighting station for this.
The publication emphasizes that although the capabilities of Sea King weapons are quite broad, limitations and technical difficulties may affect the final choice of systems that Ukraine will receive under this agreement.
