The Philippine Navy has deployed an AgustaWestland AW159 Mk220 Wildcat anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopter equipped with a box launcher for the Israeli-made Rafael Spike Non-Line-of-Sight (NLOS) missile aboard the guided missile frigate BRP Miguel Malvar (FFG-06).
This marks a significant milestone in the country’s maritime defense modernization efforts, particularly in enhancing Philippine Navy aviation strike capabilities through long-range precision-guided anti-ship weapon systems.
The AW159 Wildcat, developed by Leonardo Helicopters (formerly AgustaWestland), is a modern, multi-role maritime helicopter designed for a wide range of naval operations. It is an advanced evolution of the Westland Lynx and serves in both the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy and export customers such as South Korea and the Philippines. In naval service, the AW159 performs missions including anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare (ASuW), over-the-horizon targeting, search and rescue (SAR), maritime surveillance, and vertical replenishment. Equipped with state-of-the-art avionics, active dipping sonar, radar, and electro-optical systems, the Wildcat offers high survivability, interoperability, and mission flexibility in complex maritime environments. Its compact size and folding rotors allow easy deployment aboard frigates and other warships with limited deck space, such as the BRP Miguel Malvar.