The binational FC/ASW program envisages the design of two new types of air-launched missiles, one supersonic anti-ship and the other subsonic cruise missiles against ground targets, which will replace the current Exocet, Harpoon and SCALP/Storm Shadow from 2028.
Yesterday, a meeting took place in Paris between the directors of the French Directorate General for Armaments [DGA], the UK Defence Equipment & Support [DE&S] and the CEO of MBDA to sign a bilateral agreement between the two countries and award the contract to start work on the preparation of the future anti-ship missile and future cruise missile (FMAN-FMC for its French acronym).
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
MBDA CEO Sir Simon Bollom commented, “The aim of the FC/ASW program is to introduce a step change in lethality for the Royal Navy, Royal Air Force, French Navy and French Air Force for anti-ship and deep strike missions. This joint program has been ongoing since 2017, culminating in two weapons concepts. With these new contracts, MBDA and its industrial partners from the two countries will continue to work on the definition of two missile designs and evaluate their performance to counter future threats for all missions.”
About FC/ASW
FC/ASW stands for Future Cruise/Anti-Ship Weapon (or FMAN/FMC for futur missile anti-navire/futur missile de croisière in French). These are two distinct types of missiles, intended to replace the deep strike capabilities offered by SCALP and Storm Shadow air-launched cruise missiles and the surface warfare capabilities embodied in the Exocet and Harpoon, currently in use on French and UK aircraft and ships.
As reported by MBDA, preparatory work will focus on the coordinated development of a next-generation deep strike and heavy anti-ship weapons program. Two complementary missile concepts will be evaluated and are expected to be fielded by the end of the decade: a low observability subsonic concept and a highly maneuverable supersonic concept.
These concepts should meet French and UK requirements and will provide a game changing capability to overcome land and maritime threats, hardened targets and air defense systems, over very long ranges and in increasingly contested battlespace environments.
Future anti-ship missile
Filling the shoes left by such renowned and storied weapon systems as the Harpoon and Exocet will not be easy. To overcome the defenses of current and future enemy ships and coastal targets, it was decided that the future anti-ship missile will achieve sustained supersonic speeds and have a long range.
At 5 meters long and weighing approximately 1,000 kg, this missile will be capable of being launched by the naval and air-based delivery vehicles that currently employ the Exocet and Harpoon, as well as being carried and launched from the internal weapons bays of Europe’s next-generation fighters, the Tempest and FCAS.
But the new missile will not be limited to anti-ship actions, but will be a truly multifunctional weapon, being able to attack ground structures or vehicles, air defense systems and even high-value aircraft, such as early warning and control (AEW&C) or tanker aircraft.
Cruise missile
If the previous concept seeks to defeat enemy defenses based on high speed, this missile will base its penetration strategy on stealth. The future cruise missile to replace the current Storm Shadow and Scalp will be a very low radar signature weapon. With dimensions and weights similar to the supersonic concept, the new, subsonic missile will enjoy an even longer range and will be designed to engage high-value ground targets, fixed or mobile, as well as hardened and/or buried infrastructure, such as well-defended bunkers.
Both weapons will form the core of France’s and the UK’s air-launched deep strike capability beyond 2030, although they are likely to be developed in surface ship and submarine-launched versions as well.
