MBDA welcomes the announcement by the United Kingdom and France of the Joint Assessment Phase to develop a common solution for the next generation of a European helicopter anti-surface weapon.
Commenting on the pronouncement, Antoine Bouvier, Chief Executive Officer said:
“FASGW/ANL is an excellent example of a co-operative programme whereby two separate legacy systems developed in the UK and France respectively are to be replaced by a common capability in this sector under the leadership of MBDA. This joint assessment phase is a clear demonstration of the added value an integrated defence company can bring to its customer nations; with MBDA helping both France and the United Kingdom to share their requirements to the benefit of their Armed Forces.”
This next phase also signals the considerable progress being made by Team CW. In response, Steve Wadey, Managing Director of MBDA UK, said:
“The joint assessment phase for FASGW/ANL reinforces the benefits of Team CW in the delivery of advanced missile systems capabilities that our Customers demand. The FASGW/ANL project is a major component within the Team CW Assessment Phase, which was launched by Baroness Taylor in July 2008 and is now in its second year of operation.”
The joint FASGW/ANL project will benefit from MBDA’s experience as Europe’s integrated missile system company with an established record of delivering multinational co-operative programmes such as Storm Shadow, PAAMS and Meteor.
Background Information
Future Air-to-Surface Guided Weapon (Heavy) / Anti Navire Léger (FASGW(H)/ANL) is being assessed to provide the main armament for the Royal Navy’s AW159 Lynx Wildcat helicopter and the French Navy’s NH90 and Panther helicopters. The solution is required to defeat the most challenging of target threats in future maritime and littoral operations.
For the UK, it will replace the current Sea Skua which is in service with the Royal Navy, the German Navy and others worldwide. Sea Skua is a lightweight anti-ship weapon system for fast helicopters and has been used extensively and successfully in the Falklands War and subsequent campaigns in the Gulf.
Developed to respond to a new French Navy requirement, ANL would also be suitable as a replacement for the AS 15 TT anti-ship missile that has been exported to two countries.
Team CW is an innovative partnering arrangement between MBDA (UK), Thales UK, QinetiQ and Roxel UK Ltd, which was formed following a Ministerial announcement at the Farnborough Air Show in July 2006. The UK MoD joined Team CW in 2007. The Team CW assessment phase was launched by Baroness Taylor, the then Minister for Defence Equipment and Support, in July 2008.
The Team CW assessment phase is demonstrating the potential for the UK MoD and Team CW to enter into a long term partnering arrangement for the supply of Complex Weapons and includes initial work on six projects, including Future Anti-Surface Guided Weapon (Heavy), Future Anti-Surface Guided Weapon (Light), a 50 Kg weapon family for Air to Ground Attack, Fireshadow Loitering Munition, Future Local Area Air Defence System – Maritime, and a Storm Shadow upgrade.
With industrial facilities in four European countries and within the USA, MBDA has an annual turnover of approximately EUR 2.7 billion and an order book of EUR 11.9 billion. With more than 90 armed forces customers in the world, MBDA is a world leader in missiles and missile systems.
MBDA is the only group capable of designing and producing missiles and missile systems that correspond to the full range of current and future operational needs of the three armed forces (land, sea and air). In total, the group offers a range of 45 missile systems and countermeasures products already in operational service and more than 15 others currently in development.
MBDA is jointly held by BAE Systems (37.5%), EADS (37.5%) and Finmeccanica (25%).
