F-35 Advanced ASRAAM Weapons of Royal Air Force

F-35 Advanced ASRAAM Weapons of Royal Air Force

F-35 Advanced ASRAAM Weapons of Royal Air Force. MBDA has been awarded a contract of £ 184 million ($ 238 million) for the supply of advanced short-range air to air missiles (ASRAAMs) Lockheed Martin F-35B Joint Strike Fighter UK.

The contract covers the purchase of a new variant of the weapon currently in operation with the Panavia Tornado Royal Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon and GR4s. Integration into the F-35B will be covered under a separate contract, according to the Ministry of Defense.

It was announced on August 16, the agreement is based on a prize of 300 million £ to MBDA in September 2015 to support a carrying capacity of the program (CSP) for the development of the new variant of the weapon Typhoon RAF , and will add to the reserve of a new common ASRAAM for the Ministry of Defense. This will enter service in the Typhoon in 2018.

The F-35 is expected to reach initial operational capability for land-based operations with the United Kingdom in December 2018, but the Ministry of Defense plans to use existing missiles ASRAAM Lightning II in 2022. The production lines cross post from the oldest to the latest variant has not yet been determined.

The integration of CSP ASRAAM version of the F-35 in the UK will be subject to block 4 software update that the aircraft be submitted; He is currently in shaping 3i, and then evolve to a standard 3F. The first batch of the current ASRAAM variant was delivered to the US in January, ahead of flight testing aboard the F-35, supported by United Kingdom of lead BAE Systems integration weapons.

The test examples were the first British-made missiles to be installed in the JSF, and NAS Patuxent River flight in Maryland and Edwards Air Force Base in California are tested. unit testing and evaluation of F-35B RAF 17 Sqn, based on the last location.

Initial tests were to include data collection environment, the safe separation of aircraft, weapon integration testing, test fire and guide the commitment. The ASRAAM is a short-range missile guided by infrared capable of flying at Mach 3. The new version will be manufactured at the site of Bolton, Lancashire MBDA. It has the same performance characteristics as the current configuration, but benefits from an applicant for MBDA - A Raytheon is currently used - including its own cooling system instead of using the aircraft.

It can also be easily upgraded through software changes that improve performance and image processing algorithms, and other components of MBDA products - such as anti-missile common modular air - is to be introduced.

MBDA, said the Ministry of Defense will benefit from the cost savings associated with a missile program of new construction, rather than relying on weapons reformed to support operations.

"ASRAAM provide vital offensive and defensive options for the UK F-35 pilots against a wide range of air-to-air threats," Toney Douglas, executive director of the defense team of the Ministry of Defence and support organization says. "The project to improve the weapon and integrate it with the F-35 is a clear example of the Ministry of Defence Industry in the UK and work together effectively to provide our armed forces with the best possible team." F-35 Advanced ASRAAM Weapons.