A Royal Navy helicopter due to enter service next year, visited the site that will design its missiles on Monday.

The Comet: Wildcat helicopter credit: Chris MilesWildcat helicopter credit: Chris Miles (Image: MBDA)

The Wildcat, which is due to replace the navy’s Lynx helicopter in January, 2015, landed at the MBDA site on Six Hills Way, Stevenage.

Employees of the company, which won a contract to design the missiles which will be used on the aircraft in March, were invited to tour the helicopter and talk to the crew who use it.

Keith Garden, the deputy managing director for MBDA UK, said: “It is not often we get a military helicopter descending on our site here in Stevenage and even less so when it is one of the most modern as the Wildcat is.

“The purpose was for employees working on the FASGW(H) anti-ship missile for the Wildcat to look over the helicopter and ask the crew questions.

“Earlier in the day we had a flag raising ceremony to show our support for Armed Forces Day and so having the chance to interact in person with the crew and their helicopter made that connection with the Armed Forces more personal for us all.

“The response among the employees was tremendous and emphasised how important their contributions are to the men and women who rely on our work in the most critical of situations.”