The Royal Navy is assessing future missile options as it moves towards adopting the Mk 41 vertical launch system across its fleet.
Responding to a written question from Conservative MP Ben Obese-Jecty, Defence Minister Luke Pollard did not confirm whether the Aster missile is being considered for integration with Mk 41, but said the Navy is examining a broad range of capabilities.
“The Royal Navy has announced its intention to become a Mk41 Navy, to ensure that future combatants have a versatile missile launcher capable of deploying both offensive and defensive missiles,” Pollard said.
He added that the Navy is “currently assessing a range of effector options, including missiles, guns, lasers and drones as it develops the Hybrid Navy concept.”
The Mk 41 system, widely used across NATO navies, allows ships to fire multiple missile types from a common launcher, offering significantly greater flexibility than platform-specific systems.
While the response did not reference specific missiles, the Ministry of Defence is separately funding a study into whether the Aster air defence missile could be integrated with Mk 41 launchers. The work, led by MBDA UK under a contract understood to run through to 2027, is examining the technical feasibility of adapting Aster for launch from the US-designed system, including interface requirements, launch dynamics and broader integration challenges.
There is an ongoing, wider effort to harmonise the Royal Navy’s existing air defence capability with future launcher architecture, particularly as newer platforms such as the Type 26 frigate adopt Mk 41 as standard.
The way it’s going at present the UK should have a full selection of MBDA missiles that can be fired from the MK41 launchers.. nothing wrong with using US missiles but there needs to be a European option incase the US decides it does not want its missiles used in such and such a way and withholds stocks..
I never understood why the French didn’t essentially make SYLVER the European Mk-41. The Turks got it right with MIDLAS. The fact that Britain basically has to dump SYLVER is beyond sad.
It’s an odd one to be sure.. I think it’s because they simply did not want to integrate US missiles into to it ( or the US did not).. either way it’s a missed opportunity.
SYLVER is significantly smaller than Mk41, designed to fit the smaller French Frigates rather than large warfighters.
Is … fitted for but not with, on the list of options👀😒
Looking in to it, considering it, but nothing else, just like evey thing else. Same story day in day out but never any firm yes on any thing,might, should, could, assesing it, etc etc. Every day a MOD press release about something they are looking at but doing nothing about.
Because you don’t understand the technical implications of such a project is why you write the same comments day in day out.
I see and you do, i was trials team I know how long things take how they change and how the item asked for turns in to the item we can afford which normally means not as good as it was on paper. Plus some firms claim to be able build some thing then find they can not so get what they can make rather than what we asked for.
Do not insult me by saying I do not under stand Technical implications, I do, but just looking in to, thinking about is not the same user trials or even a full working prototype built. And trial version rarely match what is final accepted in to service and it takes years even if you rush unless its EOR.
On balance, with hindsight, and all the other qualifications, we should’ve held out for either A70-NG or a domestic solution.
On hindsight, in balance, SYLVER should’ve been designed from the start with all these capabilities. It’s not like the model didn’t already exist. I don’t understand why SYLVER was so limited to begin with.
Because its french and the french only wanted a surrender capability.
Satire? Hopefully?
SYLVER is significantly smaller than Mk41, designed to fit the smaller French Frigates rather than large warfighters.
The South Koreans can do it, so can we. I agree, but so long as we retain the independence to integrate our own missiles without US political affirmation we should be fine.
Perhaps larger sovereign silos for the ELSA and assorted hypersonic missiles? The canister could do most of the work, it’s just exhaust ducting.
I just think about what we’re procuring, and realise that of the three missiles confirmed for future British naval use, none are integrated with the Mk41, and none are American.
Stratus and Aster are first and foremost European systems. They’ll be the launch items for A70-NG. CAMM would probably secure that important first integration slot.
Furthermore, we know we won’t see Stratus in service till the early 2030s. CAMM is fine in its dedicated cold-launch tubes.
So, despite procuring Mk41, we won’t actually have anything to fire from it until about the same time as we can expect the A70-NG to arrive.
So, genuinely, what’s the attraction? Commonality with the US means nothing if we do not intend to use their missiles.
ASROC is on the want list
What a strangely specific wording. A ‘MK41 Navy’. We will have Aster, we will have Stratus and we will hopefully have a VL-Stingray if somebody in the MoD remembers that that’s supposed to be a thing. It’s a bit of a strong way of putting it if that’s all they are suggesting because it sounds like they want some sort of wider plan for mk41.
At least they didn’t say studying the implications of what it means to be a Mk-41 Navy.
Type 45?… If only
Could have been, could still be if they pull out the CAMM farm on the ones already done. Even Exls.
Rewarding the US, what could possibly go wrong with that?
How many UK missiles are cleared for the Mk41? I can think of one.
Hardly rewarding the US. More like reacting to French shortsightedness. There was nothing and is nothing stopping the French from pursuing an improved SYLVER.
As far as missiles cleared for Mk-41, there is SeaCeptor. Quad-packed. ‘Clearing’ Aster wouldn’t be hard. Just get it done.
I mean they are upgrading A70?
I know, but apparently too late to keep the Brits as customers. You can’t complain about a European country buying American when there is underinvestment in the European solution by its developer.
One.
I’m sure the government will find a way of explaining that when we have the launchers we don’t actually need the missiles. 🚀
There’s nothing new in this story at all.