UK To Proceed With New Anti-Armour Weapons (June 10)
; ; The go-ahead for two major enhancements to the anti-armour capability of the British armed forces was announced today by Defence Secretary George Robertson. ; The British Army will get the Medium Range (MR) TRIGAT project to provide its principal Medium Range Anti-Tank Guided Weapon System (ATGWS), in collaboration with France, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. Contracts will also be let for the Project Definition phase of the Next Generation Light Anti-Armour Weapon (NLAW). ; George Robertson said: ; "The green light for UK participation in the billion pound MR TRIGAT programme, following hard on the heels of our decision to go ahead alongside France and Italy on the PAAMS missile system for the Royal Navy's next destroyer, underlines our determination to work with our European partners where this offers the best route to meeting the needs of our Armed Forces. ; "This decision also demonstrates our determination to promote the restructuring of the European defence industry. The MR TRIGAT programme is a major element in the emerging industrial structure in the guided weapon sector. ; "In keeping with the principles of Smart Procurement, a single company will assume the prime contractor role. The programme will be managed for the partner nations by a single focus, the armaments co-operation organisation OCCAR. This approach will help keep the project on budget and on schedule. ; "MR TRIGAT and NLAW will both be important assets for the Army as it faces the operational challenges of the next century.We will also seek a lightweight anti-tank missile for light forces such as the Paras and the Royal Marine Commandoes." ; The UK will shortly sign a Memorandum of Understanding for the Industrialisation and Production stage of MR TRIGAT. Subject to final negotiations, a contract will be placed with an industrial consortium led by Aerospace Missile as prime contractor, and including Matra BAe Dynamics and DASA LFK. ; Bofors Carl-Gustav AB of Sweden and Matra BAe Dynamics UK Ltd have been selected as preferred bidders for the Project Definition phase of NLAW. Contracts, worth in total in excess of £10m, will be let subject to final contract negotiations. ; Background Notes ; MR TRIGAT is a crew portable MR ATGW system which will replace MILAN in the armed forces of the UK, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. France and Germany have already signed the MOU for the next phase. The UK is also considering procurement of a lighter system for deployment with airborne and commando units. ; Once the contract has been let, the programme will transfer to management by OCCAR, the armaments co-operation organisation formed in 1996 by the UK, France, Germany and Italy. MR TRIGAT industrialisation and production has a total value to the partner nations of about £1 bn. The decision to proceed will provide direct employment for some 250-300 people in the UK. ; NLAW is a man-portable, shoulder-launched, short range, light anti-armour weapon effective at short and very short ranges against modern armoured vehicles. Bofors Carl-Gustaf SAB of Sweden are offering the MBT LAW and Matra Bae Dynamics UK Ltd, based in Stevenage, are offering the Kestrel weapon system. ; The Project Definition phase will last around 22 months, during which both companies will develop their proposals for the Full Development and Production phase. The contracts will also include development work and demonstration of the proposed solutions, together with other risk reduction activities. Following an assessment of the resulting proposals, a single contract for Full Development and Production is expected to be awarded in 2002. ; The NLAW project has a total value in excess of £300m. It is expected to enter service around 2006 and will replace the current light anti-armour weapon, LAW 80, which was last produced in 1993. ; -ends of UK MoD communique- ; ; ; UK To Proceed With New Anti-Armour Weapons (June 10)
