Farnborough 2026: HeliOperations showcases effector-armed Sea King

HeliOperations Ltd showcased a Sea King armed with effectors at the Farnborough International Airshow 2026. (Janes/Gareth Jennings)

HeliOperations displayed a Westland Sea King equipped with effectors at the Farnborough Airshow 2026, showcasing the UK company's offer to arm legacy helicopters for customers that do not have the budget nor the requirement to field dedicated attack platforms.

Speaking to Janes at the binennial event running from 20 to 24 July 2026, a HeliOperations official said that the UK-based company could equip either Sea Kings or other legacy helicopter types with a range of effectors “for 80% of the capability of an Apache [attack helicopter], for 20% of the cost”.

The Sea King displayed at Farnborough was carrying two AGM-114 Hellfire air-to-surface missiles and three ‘drone killer' unmanned aerial vehicles on fuselage-mounted launchers, while the official noted that the helicopter itself had been fitted with a modern fire control system and a defensive aids package (he added that the particular helicopter at Farnborough was still on the UK military register, and would not fly in this weaponised configuration itself).

The official said that there had been interest in the concept, and that at least one customer had already been signed up. He declined to name the customer, except to say that it is receiving the upgrade on the Sea King “and another type”. He added that such a conversion could be operational within 20 to 24 months of a contract signature.

For more, please see Ukraine conflict: Surplus UK Sea Kings operating in Ukraine