News Release issued by
the COI News Distribution Service on 10 September 2009
The UK and French
governments have announced the start of a joint Assessment Phase
to develop systems and technologies for a new helicopter-launched
anti-surface missile. The announcement was made at this year’s
Defence Systems Exhibition International (DSEi) at the Excel
Centre in London, a biannual gathering of the world’s largest
defence companies.
The weapon is being developed for use initially in the naval
environment and to be launched from different helicopters,
including the British Lynx Wildcat and the French NH90 and Panther
platforms.
This co-operative project, which meets the
UK’s Future Anti-Surface Guided Weapon (FASGW) and the French
Anti-Navire Léger (ANL) requirements, is the latest in a long
history of co-operation between the two nations on missile
projects, which has most recently included Meteor and the Sea
Viper (Principal Anti Air Missile System - PAAMS).
The
project will begin with an Assessment Phase expected to last just
over two years and will cost £35M, to be shared between both
nations. Work will be undertaken in the UK and France, using
industries within their respective supply chains.
This Assessment Phase is fully consistent with the UK MoD’s aims
to deepen co-operation with close allies and to take forward the
various strands of the Team Complex Weapons initiative.
Minister for Defence Equipment and Support, Quentin Davies,
said:
“This announcement demonstrates our commitment to deepen the
co-operation between our two countries, particularly where
requirements are closely aligned, as they are in this case.
“By bringing together industry expertise from across the nations
we are strengthening our technical knowledge, allowing us to equip
our forces with the best highly-advanced anti-surface missile for
them to use for years to come.”
The Assessment Phase will investigate appropriate technologies
for a future anti-surface guided weapon that meet the capability
requirements for the system. In addition, any previous research
will be taken into consideration, along with the opportunity to
re-use technology from other programmes. By the end of the
Assessment Phase, sub-system technology will be matured
sufficiently to progress into full demonstration of the overall system.
The joint Assessment Phase is being undertaken through the Team
Complex Weapons (CW) enabling contract placed with MBDA (UK) last
year. As well as being a further example of co-operative intent
between the UK and France, the contract represents a further
milestone as part of the wider Team CW approach towards weapons
procurement which was announced at the Farnborough Air Show in
July 2008.
Notes to Editors:
1. For further information contact David Hunter in the MoD Press
Office on 0207 218 2165.
2. The intent to pursue the joint
FASGW/ANL project was announced at the Franco-British summit held
on 27 March 2008 with a formal Statement of Intent signed between
the two governments last summer (2008).
3. The Assessment
Phase contract has been placed with MBDA (UK) as part of the Team
CW Assessment Phase contracting arrangements, which were announced
by Baroness Taylor at Farnborough on 15 July 2008. Team CW is a
group led by MBDA (UK) Ltd, and includes Thales UK, Roxel (UK
Rocket Motors) Ltd and QinetiQ Ltd.
4. The French Ministry of
Defence is linked to the MBDA (UK) contract through a Memorandum
of Understanding signed by the two governments which came into
effect on entering into the contract today.
5. FASGW/ANL aims
to deliver a solution to meet the UK military requirement to
replace the Sea Skua missile system when it reaches the end of its
life in around 2016. MBDA is developing this “heavy” variant and a
“light” variant (known as the Lightweight Multi-Role Missile
(LMM)) is being developed by Thales Air Defence Ltd.
6. The
FASGW projects are being designed to undertake offensive and
defensive maritime missions against targets ranging in size from
Corvette-sized vessels to Fast Inshore Attack Craft.
Facts about Team CW:
• Team CW was formed in July 06 when the then Minister for
Defence Procurement, Lord Drayson, announced a new approach to
fulfilling the UK’s military requirement for CW in response to the
2005 Defence Industrial Strategy.
• The Assessment Phase for
this project forms part of the wider Team CW Assessment Phase
which announced the launch of six projects to deliver the
foundations for a family of UK missiles which, in addition to
FASGW (Heavy) and (Light), includes:
- Indirect Fire
Precision Attack Loitering Munition (IFPA LM);
- a 50kg
weapon family to meet the Selected Precision Effects at Range 1
requirement (SPEAR);
- Storm Shadow Capability Enhancement
Programme (SSCEP); and
- Future Local Area Air Defence System (FLAADS).
Contacts:
Ministry of Defence
NDS.MOD@coi.gsi.gov.uk