FC/ASW missile to be compatible with Mk41 VLS

It has been confirmed that the missiles resulting from the Future Cruise/Anti-Ship Weapon (FC/ASW) programme will be compatible with the Mark 41 vertical launch system.

The Mk 41 Vertical Launching System is a modular, below deck sited, missile launcher system that makes use of silos to launch and store missiles. The UK intends to use it on the Type 26 Frigate.

On the 14th of December 2021 the Defence Committee published a report titled ‘We’re going to need a bigger Navy’. The Government’s response has been published below.

The Defence Committee concluded in their report:

“The Department must deliver the funding to swiftly end the spectacle
of space on highly capable vessels being used to carry nothing but air. This should
include consideration of both the threats and the opportunities posed by hypersonic
missiles as well as the potential to use common missile silos across classes and to deliver
compatibility with different international partners.

The Department should confirm in its response that it still intends the FC/ASW to be compatible with the Mark 41 vertical launch system. The Department should also be mindful of previous warnings that procuring a ‘bridging’ system with long post-2030 life expectancy could damage the relationship with France.”

The Government responded:

“Hypersonic missiles are among the most challenging air targets that the RN must be
able to counter. Upgrades to existing in-service air defence systems, and procurement
of future capability, such as the Future Air Defence System (the Type 83, as announced
in the IR), will specifically seek to address the potential threat that ‘hypersonics’ pose, as
well as harness any opportunities to procure offensive hypersonic weaponry, should it be
advantageous to do so.

Whichever maritime missile system is acquired through the Future Cruise/Anti-Ship
Weapon (FC/ASW) programme, it will be compatible with the Mark 41 (Mk 41) vertical
launch system, specifically given the intent for these weapons to be fitted to the Type 26
Frigate. The RN is exploring opportunities to fit Mk 41 launchers to other classes of ships,
including Type 31, to provide commonality with partner nations, improve interoperability
and simplify the inventory of maritime offensive and defensive capabilities.”

You can read their response in full by clicking here.

By the end of the decade, Britain and France will both field a stealthy subsonic land attack missile and a supersonic, highly manoeuvrable anti-ship missile.

The United Kingdom and France recently confirmed the launch of the preparation works for the Future Cruise/Anti-Ship Weapon (FC/ASW) programme, after the signature of a government agreement and associated contracts by the French Direction générale de l’armement (DGA) and the British Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S).

The ‘Future Cruise/Anti–Ship Weapon’ project was originally believed to be producing one missile able to strike ships and land targets but has now become two distinct missiles.

🚨 NEWS | Confirmation that the FC/ASW missile plan is now for two distinct missiles. A stealthy subsonic land attack missile and a supersonic, highly manoeuvrable anti-ship missile. Britain and France expected to field the missiles "at the end of the decade" say @byMBDA. pic.twitter.com/hFn3KGwZ4f

— George Allison (@geoallison) February 21, 2022

Eric Beranger, CEO of MBDA said:

“The FC/ASW programme is an example of the value of the ‘One MBDA’ integrated model. By combining technology, industrial capacity and funding across borders, we can deliver unique and advanced sovereign capabilities. Following the conclusion of the FC/ASW Concept Phase, the confirmation of the launch of these preparation works testifies the renewed confidence of our two countries towards MBDA.

The project will take advantage from our sustained French/UK Centres of Excellence. This reinforcement of MBDA’s portfolio of deep strike and anti-ship systems will allow MBDA to offer to our armed forces, whose satisfaction is our priority, a cutting-edge solution fitted to their requirements and adapted to all existing or future operational needs.”

Le Délégué général pour l’armement Joël Barre, le directeur 🇬🇧 @DefenceES & le PDG @byMBDA, ont lancé les travaux de préparation du futur missile antinavire et futur missile de croisière (FMAN-FMC) après signature d’un accord étatique et notification de contrats #NotreDéfense pic.twitter.com/Xbs1j6OO3u

— Direction générale de l'armement 🇫🇷 (@DGA) February 17, 2022

According to a statement from MBDA:

“These preparation works will focus on the co-ordinated development of a programme of next generation deep strike and heavy anti-ship weapons. It will assess two complementary missile concepts, expected to be fielded at the end of the decade: a subsonic low observable concept and a supersonic, highly manoeuvrable concept.

These concepts are to meet the requirements of France and the UK and will provide a game changing capability to overcome land-based and maritime threats, hardened targets and air defence systems, at very long ranges and in increasingly contested battlespace environments.”

What is the Future Cruise/Anti–Ship Weapon for?

The FC/ASW aims to replace Storm Shadow/SCALP air-launched cruise missile in operational service in the UK and France as well as Exocet anti-ship missile in France and Harpoon anti-ship missile in the UK.

In November the First Sea Lord, Admiral Tony Radakin, told the House of Commons Select Defence Committee that options for FC/ASW were still “being looked at” including potential hypersonic weapons.

“The path that we as a Navy want to go down is absolutely that—longer-range missiles from ships with land attack. To Mr Francois’s point earlier about whether that is in the programme, it is in the programme with money that has been allocated for the future cruise anti-ship weapon, but we are only on the cusp of an assessment phase with the French. We have not delineated that it is going to be weapon X, but we have the budget line that supports that approach.

The exciting thing for the Navy is that the more substantial money is in the longer-term line, with the ambition around the future cruise anti-ship weapon and the French partnership. That has got the money in the line, but I agree with you that if we are operating at the hypersonic level, there is a debate as to whether that is at the back end of this decade or the early 2030s.”

It was also stated recently by Minister for Defence Procurement Jeremy Quin that the total spend to date on Future Cruise/Anti-Ship Weapon and associated activities by the Ministry of Defence is £95 million.