MBDA Triumphs with £184M ASRAAM Production Deal for UK’s F-35 Fleet
The United Kingdom’s (UK) Ministry of Defence (MoD) has recently awarded a substantial £184M production contract to MBDA. This contract is for the provision of the advanced infra-red (IR) guided air-to-air missile, ASRAAM, designed specifically for the UK’s F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter jet.
ASRAAM is set to make history as the first British-designed missile to be integrated with the F-35. With its powerful rocket motor and streamlined aerodynamic design, ASRAAM offers exceptional kinematic performance, surpassing the end-game capabilities of other nations’ in-service IR missiles.
Currently, MBDA is also working on an ASRAAM capability sustainment programme for the Typhoon fast jet. This new F-35 order will facilitate the production of additional missiles, ensuring value for money by leveraging components from other MBDA systems, such as the Common Anti-air Modular Missile (CAMM). This approach guarantees that a unified IR missile will be available across the fleet of fast jets.
The manufacturing of these missiles will take place at MBDA’s newly inaugurated £40M site in Bolton, while engineering operations will be managed at their facilities in Stevenage and Bristol. The entire ASRAAM programme, along with associated tasks related to domestic and export projects using the core CAMM system, is providing employment for 400 skilled professionals within the MBDA network and the UK’s complex weapons supply chain. This collection of contracts also ensures that ASRAAM continues to be accessible for international clients and future export opportunities.
