UK, France to upgrade long-range missiles

LONDON, Feb 22 (KUNA) -- Britain and France on Wednesday announced a GBP 146 million (nearly USD 181.7 million) contract with MBDA - a European developer and manufacturer of missiles, to upgrade their missiles.
The shared deal will see the updating of the Storm Shadow long-range missile of the British Royal Air Force (RAF) and France's SCALP missile so they remain fit for purpose and ready for operational use, British Minister for Defence Procurement Harriett Baldwin said. Baldwin made the announcement after her talks with her French counterpart Laurent Collet-Billon at Lancaster House.
Baldwin confirmed the strong partnership with France, saying that the collaboration is providing a GBP 50 million saving for both sides.
The contract will keep the missile in service for the next decade and beyond and help to sustain around 60 UK jobs, she pointed out. "Storm Shadow is a combat-proven, long-range, precision cruise missile, already in service with RAF Tornados, deployed recently against the so-called Islamic State (IS) in Iraq.
"This contract is an important part of the Government's GBP 178 billion plan to ensure our armed forces have the right equipment at the right time," Baldwin said.
"The midlife refurbishment programme has been developed in co-operation with the French Government who will be updating their own similar missile known as SCALP.
"The regeneration will consist of a midlife refurbishment of current missile parts such as the turbo-jet engine, an upgrade of the navigational system, and a like for like replacement of items such as the cabling, seals and gaskets.
"The work will sustain around 60 jobs at MBDA in Stevenage and Bolton, in a variety of roles including software and systems engineering. Over 40 jobs will also be sustained through the supply chain," she pointed out.
Tony Douglas, chief Executive at the British Ministry's Defence Equipment and Support Organisation, said: "The contract to regenerate Storm Shadow, a combat-proven, all-weather precision missile, provides a clear example of the MOD and UK industry working effectively together with our counter parts in France; providing our UK Armed Forces with the best equipment possible while sustaining dozens of UK jobs." "Storm Shadow is designed to target substantial buildings and structures, such as military facilities, control centres, bunkers, missile sites, airfields and bridges, which might otherwise require the use of several aircraft over the course of numerous missions.
"France is the UK's most important European ally, with both countries' defence budgets together account for almost half of all European defence spending," he said. "This deal is the most recent example of collaboration in a long history of cooperation on defence and security. The آ£146 million investment in Storm Shadow will sustain the missile until its planned out of service date in 2032," he added.
Laurent Collet-Billon said: "This deep-strike missile mid-life update was jointly prepared. It represents a new step in the Franco-British cooperation roadmap and strengthens the Franco-British strategic partnership in the armament field." (end) mrn.gb