GDR 99 - Missile Systems

Aiming High:
Raytheon's FMRAAM


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• Countering Proliferation • Oerlikon Aerospace • Hypersonics: a New Age Dawns • Hi-Tech, Low Cost • The Imperative of Interoperability • ARC Enjoys Rocketing Growth • Apaches Reach Out for Hydra • Aiming High: Raytheon's FMRAAM • Meteoric Rise: Matra BAe's Meteor
Top: As well as providing Eurofighter with a technological edge, the FMRAAM gives the UK access to a large world missile market

UK-based Raytheon Systems Ltd is leading a combined European and US team to provide the UK's MoD with the answer to its low-risk missile requirements.

The future medium range air-to-air missile (FMRAAM) is the latest evolution of Raytheon's proven AIM-120 advanced medium range air-to-air missile (AMRAAM) in service with 16 nations and approved for a further four. This active air-to-air missile has proven itself in combat with Iraq and Bosnia in recent years and has had over 1,000 successful test firings.

According to Andy Head, Raytheon Systems Ltd's marketing director, Raytheon's combination of leading technologies from both the US and Europe offers the RAF the best of both worlds. Because of its evolutionary approach, the BVRAAM bid has benefited from the $2bn invested by the Pentagon to keep the AMRAAM at the forefront of this class of missile.

"FMRAAM combines the proven AMRAAM capability with an integral rocket ramjet to boost the range, speed and agility of the missile," said Head. "The combination of the AMRAAM heritage and the proven technologies employed in the ramjet will make this an extremely low-risk new missile programme for the UK MoD. Approximately 73 per cent of the overall hardware and 96 per cent of the software is common between the FMRAAM and AMRAAM."

The company thinks that its FMRAAM is a potent and flexible missile for the RAF. Once it has acquired a target or cluster of targets, pilots may launch the missile and then manoeuvre while still updating the missile with information via a digital data link. Once the missile has acquired the target it takes full control of the engagement. Should the data link be broken before this point the missile immediately becomes autonomous, searching for and then tracking the target. The system also allows for third-party data linking through the asynchronous data link allowing another aircraft such as the Eurofighter or an AWACS to pass target information to FMRAAM and update the missile in flight, guiding it to its target. Overall the FMRAAM boasts a 250-per-cent improvement in the no-escape zone of current missiles, all-weather shoot up/shoot down capability, extreme resistance to electronic counter measures and jamming, fire-and-forget mode for short-range targets and a simultaneous multi-target and multiple launch capability.

All the subsystems have a proven pedigree, either from AMRAAM or Aerospatiale's ramjet programme, thereby lowering development costs and reducing risk. The multi-mode radar or seeker is the latest AMRAAM seeker.

ERAAM


All of FMRAAM's sub-systems have a proven pedigree, lowering the development cost and risk for the MoD
Links: www.raytheon.com

At last year's Farnborough Air Show, Raytheon announced a proposed staged approach to FMRAAM, the so-called ERAAM or extended range air-to-air missile. "It provides 80 per cent of FMRAAM performance for 50 per cent of the cost, and will lead to FMRAAM when required," said Head. "ERAAM also is an evolved version of AMRAAM, in this case using a dual pulse rocket motor. This increases the kinetic capability of the missile, though not to the extent possible with the ramjet".

The BVRAAM is intended to be a major part of the Eurofighter's weapon system when it enters service early next century. Raytheon says that aircraft integration costs will be kept to a minimum as the FMRAAM falls well within the maximum allowable weight for the Eurofighter, it is also the same length and diameter, and uses the same interfaces as the AMRAAM. Because the missile will be used on the Eurofighter when it initially enters service, little modification will be required to the aircraft or the avionics to use the new weapon.

The team The Raytheon FMRAAM team brings together leading companies from both sides of the Atlantic to allow transatlantic and intra-European co-operation on advanced missile technologies. Raytheon claims its FMRAAM solution will also provide industrial participation to the UK equal to 100 per cent of the FMRAAM contract, with 72 per cent of the development and production work on the system being carried out in the UK and over 80 per cent in Europe. More than 75 UK companies already have been identified as potential suppliers to the FMRAAM team.

The designated prime contractor and system integrator for the project is Raytheon Systems Ltd, the UK arm of the Raytheon Company that currently employs 2,000 people in Britain. Arizona-based Raytheon Missile Systems will supply the seeker. Shorts Missile Systems Ltd of Belfast will design, engineer and manufacture sub-systems for FMRAAM, as well as integrating, assembling and testing the guidance and electronics unit. Thomson Thorn Missile Electronics of Basingstoke is responsible for the lethality package of the missile and will integrate the electronic arming device made by Diehl of Germany. France's Aerospatiale will design, develop and manufacture the engine for the FMRAAM and has agreed to source 50 per cent of this work in the UK.

Opportunities
In addition to providing the Eurofighter with a technological edge, by selecting the FMRAAM the UK will gain access to a large world missile market. According to Raytheon, the commonality between the FMRAAM and AMRAAM opens up a huge worldwide market. A company spokesperson says: "AMRAAM has been integrated on over 90 per cent of the western world's combat aircraft. This represents a potential market of 6,000 aircraft and the UK will share in this export potential. The UK will retain the design authority for FMRAAM and will take advantage of this market that is estimated to provide the potential for up to 15,000 missiles."