• United Kingdom Co-operative Engagement (UKCEC)

• Listener

• High Velocity Missile Starstreak (HVM)

• Network Enabled Airspace Defence and Surveillance (NEADS)

• Land Environment Air Picture Provision (LEAPP)

• Bridging Capability Programme (BriC)

United Kingdom Co-operative Engagement (UKCEC)

Co-Operative Engagement Capability (UKCEC) provides a revolutionary advancement in air and missile defence by combining and distributing sensor measurement data form all CEC equipped ships, aircraft and land sites.

The result is an integrated, netted, air defence system that greatly enhances detection, tracking and identification of air targets, as well as providing engagement co-ordination.


CEC does not replace any single system, rather it enhances war fighting capabilities inherent in existing and future combat systems.

The RN will utilise CEC technology to provide a high quality force tactical picture in Type 23 Frigates and Type 45 Destroyers to support effective command decision making and deployment of Air to Air Weapons in protection of the Naval Forces. The resultant picture will be accurate and consistent in all UK CEC capable units, with “engagement quality” track accuracy and consistent combat identification to enable effective and reliable application of combat identification.

The project is now in Assessment Phase II with Lockeed Martin UK developing the T23 work and BAE Systems researching parallel activities for T45. The prime focus is the construction of the Main Gate Business Case, which is due for submission mid 2005.

Network Centric Collaborative Targeting (NCCT) is an Advanced Concept Technology Demonstrator that will network C2 & Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance (ISR) assets into a collaborative entity. NCCT aims to dramatically improve target location accuracy, timeliness and combat identification for the warfighter. Project Listener is the UK’s programme to horizontally integrate Intelligence Surveillance Target Acquisition & Reconnaissance (ISTAR) sensors with a view to synchronising their effects in order to provide a capability where real time quality data against high priority targets enhances Situational Awareness whilst contributing to the Joint Operational Picture.

Project Listener is currently in the concept phase. During this phase the aim is to identify potential solutions that satisfy the UK User Requirements Document.

High Velocity Missile Starstreak (HVM)

The High Velocity Missile system is a Very Short Range GBAD weapon system optimised for the attack of low flying armoured helicopters with the capability to engage high performance aircraft. It is produced in three configurations, all of which employ a common missile: as a Shoulder Launched (SL) system, as a Lightweight Multiple Launcher (LML) on a tripod configuration and as a Self-Propelled (SP) system based on the Stormer vehicle.

Ground Based Air Defence (GBAD)

GBAD is considered to be the most cost-effective counter to an increasing range of low-level airborne threats, including Cruise Missiles, Unmanned Air Vehicles and Attack Helicopters.  An Air Defence Command, Control, Communication, Computers and Intelligence (ADC4I) system, integrating legacy weapons systems and supporting assets, is judged to be essential to enable targets to be identified before they become a direct threat, and to ensure the safety of friendly aircraft. 

GBAD Phase 1 will integrate the current Rapier FSC and HVM weapon systems with a new, overarching ADC4I capability. The resulting improved situational awareness will provide a substantial improvement in performance of the UK’s Short and Very Short Range Air Defence system. The Phase 1 programme will aim to achieve the required improvements incrementally from 2007 to 2010 to match the expected threat up to 2020. Another prime purpose of the programme is to reduce the running costs of Rapier FSC and HVM by considering obsolescence issues and changes to existing support and training arrangements to improve efficiency and thus realise savings.

Work is also required to establish any additional investment in our current weapon systems which may be necessary in order to match the emerging threat, and to support early migration to the system(s) that will replace Rapier FSC and HVM as they reach the end of their service lives.
 
Four companies returned their tender responses for the GBAD Phase 1 Assessment Phase.  The successful companies were Lockheed Martin Missiles & Fire Control - Orlando and European Air Defence & Space (EADS).  AMS & Thales were unsuccessful.  The 2 year GBAD ADC4I competitive Assessment Phase to choos the final Military Off The Shelf solution will be undertaken by the successful companies, with the contract let being planned for Autumn 2003.

The Weapon System Design Authorities (WSDA) - Thales Air Defence Ltd (TADL) for the HVM and MBDA for Rapier, will be contracted via Lockheed Martin & EADS to provide an ADC4I interface solution.  The two WSDAs have also been contracted to assess a targeted set of performance updates to the weapon systems.
 
The GBAD Phase 2 programme will replace the existing weapon systems as they reach the end of their service life and provide defence against the emerging faster, smaller threats. Early delivery of the Phase 2 capability offers considerable benefits including reduced whole life costs.  A comprehensive migration strategy will therefore be employed to ensure programme coherency.
 
It is planned that the GBAD Phase 2 programme will be taken forward collaboratively through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with NATO allies; Germany, France, Italy, The Netherlands and Norway, formally signed in late Spring 2003.
 
As part of the migration strategy, work will be taken forward with a series of collaborative Technology Demonstrator Programmes (TDPs) in which nations can jointly participate under supplementary MOUs, to explore the solutions required for a future GBAD system. 

From a UK national perspective, priority will be given to three TDPs; Missile Airframe and Propulsion, Advanced Seekers (Multi-spectral) and Adjunct Missile/Rapier Integration. The Airframe and Propulsion TDP will look at options for the proposed Phase 2 Missile, the Adjunct Missile/Rapier TDP will look at whether an early version of the proposed Phase 2 Missile could be integrated with Rapier in the 2012 timeframe and the Advanced Seeker TDP will consider guidance options for the proposed Phase 2 Missile. 

High Velocity Missile (HVM) - Starstreak

The HVM system, commercially known as Starstreak, was designed, developed and produced by Thales Air Defence Ltd (TADL) of Belfast - formally Shorts Missile Systems (SMS). It is a Very Short Range Ground Based Air Defence weapon system optimised for the attack of low flying armoured helicopters but with the capability to engage high performance aircraft.  It is produced in three configurations, all of which employ a common missile: as a Shoulder Launched (SL) system, as a Lightweight Multiple Launcher (LML) on a tripod configuration and as a Self Propelled (SP) system based on the Stormer vehicle.  All three modes of HVM have been accepted for service.

General Characteristics/Technical Performance

The missile is boosted to maximum velocity by a two-stage propulsion system at which point three darts, each with an impact fuse, are released and are guided on to the target by the operator.  HVM offers a high kill probability against fixed and rotary-wing targets including pop-up helicopters. While the SL and LML configurations provide great flexibility in terms of deployment options, the Army’s highly mobile, armoured vehicle-based SP version has been specifically designed to provide close air defence of armoured formations.

In-Service Date

HVM was declared as In Service on 1 September 1997.

Commercial Aspects

In June 2001, a contract was placed with Thales Air Defence Ltd (TADL) for a successor Identification Friend or Foe (SIFF) system for the HVM system.  This followed on from a contract placed in February 2001 with TADL for a Thermal Sighting System for the SP HVM.

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