Article Posted on : - Apr 02, 2014

An MBDA photo.

PARIS (BNS): Taking forward their bilateral defence agreement to jointly work on new platforms and systems, UK and France have awarded missile maker MBDA a contract to design and develop the next-generation helicopter-launched anti-ship guided missile -- FASGW(H)/ANL.

The jointly funded Anglo-French contract, valued at over £500 million, was awarded to MBDA on March 26 by the UK DE&S (Defence Equipment & Support) on behalf of the French and UK MoDs.

The work will complete the joint assessment and missile design work funded by the two nations in cooperation since 2009.

The new anti-ship missile, to be called FASGW(H)/ANL (Future Anti Surface Guided Weapon (Heavy)/ Anti Navire Léger), will arm the British Royal Navy's AW159 Lynx Wildcat helicopters and the French Navy's NH-90 and AS565 Panther maritime helicopters.

Weighing around 100kg, the sea-skimming missile, operating in "fire and forget" mode, will be capable of taking on a wide range of targets, including Fast Inshore Attack Craft, through medium sized Fast Attack Craft up to large vessels such as corvettes, from stand-off ranges.

The missile will also have surface attack capability against coastal and land targets, according to MBDA.

The new missile will replace the existing and legacy systems such as the UK-developed Sea Skua and the French-developed AS15TT anti-ship missiles.

"Suitable for both blue water and cluttered littoral operations, FASGW(H)/ANL represents a major advance from a technological standpoint. This new system provides very precise effects against a wide range of threats, even in complex environments, thus satisfying a recognised and common future need," MBDA said, even as it aims at the export market for the new weapon.

The missile will benefit the capability and export potential of those European helicopter platforms which will integrate the FASGW(H)/ANL system over the coming years, it said.