http://www.janes.com/article/81961/uk-m ... g-munitionA project to equip the British Army with a loitering munition weapon system has been formally cancelled by the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD).
The Fire Shadow system was written off at a loss of GBP95.494 million (USD125.5 million), according to the ministry’s 2017-18 annual accounts, which were published on 20 July.
The effort to build the Fire Shadow was part of the army’s ill-fated Indirect Fire Precision Attack (IFPA) programme and was intended to provide land component commanders with a man-in-the-loop precision system capable of striking moving targets out to 50 km and re-tasking the weapon in flight. A small number of launchers and rounds were purchased and test-fired in 2012 but the system never formally entered service as part of a cost saving drive.
- Ministry of Defence annual report and accounts 2017 to 2018
https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... 17-to-2018Constructive Losses
- Cancellation of the Fire Shadow munition programme
- 95,494
- Cancellation of the Fire Shadow munition programme
The Defence Equipment Plan 2016
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.u ... ersion.pdfComplex Weapons - Fire Shadow. The project was discontinued so it has been removed from the population. Brimstone 2 remains part of the Complex Weapons Portfolio and is now reported separately.
The Major Projects Report 2013 (13. Februar 2014)
https://www.nao.org.uk/wp-content/uploa ... t-2013.pdfComplex Weapons Pipeline
[...]
Overview of Cost, Time and Performance
[...]
In-Service Date Fire Shadow
- Approved
- March 2012
- Forecast/Actual
- In-service date was not met
MBDA readies Fire Shadow on back of programme successes (15. September 2011)
https://www.mbda-systems.com/press-releases/2971/The Fire Shadow weapon system has successfully completed a series of demonstration trials and two more successful firings in a ground breaking rapid development programme that was launched in March 2010. These achievements pave the way for a planned entry into service next year with the British Army.
The first of these firings, using a complete weapon system, was carried out on 21st November 2010 at Vidsel, Sweden to demonstrate system integration, launch, stable flight, waypoint navigation and data-link function which supports the maturation of the munition and its control. The munition flew for several tens of kilometres and its trajectory included a number of manoeuvres, such as a loitering pattern. All objectives were satisfied and the trial was witnessed by UK customer representatives.
The second firing at the same location took place on 13th May 2011. A more complex trial scenario was conducted where the Man-In-The-Loop functionality was fully exercised. The operator was able to select and successfully engage a representative target. The trial was another complete success, underlining the performance and robustness of the product.
MBDA & UK MOD, long term partnering for Complex Weapons (29. März 2010)
https://www.mbda-systems.com/press-rele ... x-weapons/MBDA is pleased to announce it has agreed a long term partnering arrangement with the UK MOD for the development and supply of new Complex Weapons (CW) to the UK Armed Forces to counter current and future threats. Under the interim Portfolio Management Agreement (PMA-I), MBDA will lead the transformation of the UK’s CW capability through the management of a portfolio of projects potentially worth up to £4Bn over the next 10 years. As part of this arrangement, MBDA has signed a contract, worth £330M, for the first package of projects focussed on deployment of new military capabilities into Afghanistan. Over the next 10 years, as further military capabilities are added, this portfolio approach will deliver £1.2Bn of efficiencies for the UK MOD.
The initial contract will see MBDA deliver unique weapons capabilities that are directly relevant to today’s war fighting environment; Fire Shadow Loitering Munition (LM) for the British Army and Selective Precision Effects At Range (SPEAR) Capability 2, Block 1, for Royal Air Force fast jets, with both projects now moving into their respective Demonstration and Manufacturing Phases. The contract also requires MBDA to carry out further Assessment Phase work on SPEAR Capability 3 to equip the Joint Strike Fighter and Future Local Area Air Defence System (FLAADS) to equip the Royal Navy’s Future Surface Combatant. This is in addition to the ongoing Assessment Phase on Future Anti-Surface Guided Weapon/Anti-Navire Léger (FASGW/ANL), in cooperation with the DGA, to equip UK and French naval helicopters.
Team LM launches Fire Shadow to meet UK MOD loitering munition requirement (12. September 2007)
Team LM, led by MBDA, is unveiling its Fire Shadow Weapon System at the DSEI exhibition in London this week. The weapon system is being presented as a solution for the UK ground forces’ requirement for a low cost, all-weather, 24 hour capability to carry out precision attacks against surface targets which may be difficult to engage and time sensitive.
Team LM is a “best in class” mix of traditional complex weapons suppliers, non- traditional complex weapons defence companies, SMEs (Small and Medium size Enterprises) as well as academia. With MBDA at its head, Team LM comprises Blue Bear Systems Research, Cranfield Aerospace, Cranfield University, Lockheed Martin UK INSYS, Marshalls SV, Meggitt, QinetiQ, Roxel, Selex SAS, Thales UK, Ultra Electronics and VEGA.
https://www.mbda-systems.com/press-rele ... quirement/The potential need for a loitering munition, among a mix of other weapons, became apparent during the assessment phase of the UK’s IFPA (Indirect Fire Precision Attack) programme concluded in 2005. This need was reiterated by the UK’s Minister of State for Defence, Equipment and Support, Lord Drayson, at the Farnborough Airshow in 2006.
Fire Shadow will meet the UK’s requirement for a weapon system with an operating range of more than 150km and sub-metric precision (a CEP or Circular Error of Probability of less than 1 metre). To meet complex rules of engagement, Fire Shadow also features MITL (Man In The Loop) operation so that the weapon always remains under the control of an operator who can divert the weapon at the last moment should, for example, non-combatants suddenly appear near the intended target.
Following Fire Shadow’s launch over the battle zone, the weapon will be able to receive real-time target information from a range of sources in a potentially network or info-centric enabled environment. These sources could be from ISTAR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance) aircraft or from surveillance UAVs (Unmanned Air Vehicles) such as the UK’s Watchkeeper when it enters service or even from an operator on the ground. Fire Shadow will feature high operational flexibility and be effective in complex battle scenarios such as urban environments. The cost per munition for Fire Shadow will be kept to around that of current generation guided rockets. However, unlike guided rockets, Fire Shadow will be able to loiter for around 10 hours over the battle zone, waiting for the enemy to appear.
