ASRAAM

The Daily Telegraph had this this moring

“Lack of cash ‘put missile on hold’
By Michael Smith, Defence Correspondent

THE Ministry of Defence has refused to accept a new air-to-air missile into service with the RAF and the Fleet Air Arm, claiming that it has “very significant” problems in the wrong kind of cloud.
But defence sources said yesterday that the real reason behind the refusal to accept the Asraam (advanced short-range air-to-air missile) into service was that the MoD was unable to pay for it.

The weapon, produced by Matra BAe Dynamics, is due to replace the RAF’s Sidewinder missile on the RAF’s Tornado F3 fighter and Harrier GR9 strike aircraft, and on the Royal Navy’s Sea Harriers.

Lady Symons, the defence procurement minister, said three weeks ago that the missile was not up to scratch, adding: “I am determined that our pilots should get the missile they deserve.”

The Royal Australian Air Force, which has accepted Asraam into service and declared it to be an excellent weapon, was surprised by her claims, and upset by the implication that it cared less about its pilots.

The journal Defence Analysis said yesterday that it understood that the reason the MoD had given for the missile not being accepted was that it was affected by “clutter” in cloud.

The journal said: “More precisely, not cloud clutter in general, but one particular type of cloud. With this specific type of cloud, there are problems spotting the target against the cloud’s increased luminosity.”

The type of cloud causing problems remained a military secret yesterday. Sir Robert Walmsley, head of the Defence Procurement Agency, refused to disclose it to the Commons Defence Committee.

But defence sources said the real reason was that the MoD’s new Smart Acquisition programme was working too well and it simply was not expecting to make the £300 million final payment out of this year’s budget.

But there were signs yesterday that the MoD was backing down, with Sir Robert saying some weapons would be accepted after all.”

what do you lot think ?
here is more info on the missile
http://www.eurofighter.pso-online.com/common/AA/asraam.html
and pic
http://www.eurofighter.pso-online.com/common/AA/images/asraam.jpg

rabie :9