BRITISH AEROSPACE has briefed the German defence ministry on its Storm Shadow derivative of the Matra Apache stand-off missile in the wake of its victory in the Royal Air Force's conventional stand-off missile (CASOM) programme. BAe officials visited Bonn in August.
Germany has a similar requirement to the UK for a stand-off missile, even though a limited number of the Matra Apaches have been procured as the German air force's stand-off anti-runway weapon.
Germany made it clear during the CASOM competition that it was increasingly interested in the Daimler-Benz Aerospace/Bofors KEPD 350 to meet its missile requirement, despite acquiring the Apache.
The first captive flight trial of the KEPD 350 was carried out on a Panavia Tornado aircraft at Manching in southern Germany on 20 August.
BAe and Matra are pooling their missile interests and are keen to persuade the German defence ministry that the Storm Shadow can meet its stand-off missile requirement. The Anglo/French would have industrial advantages, such as making room for DASA in the programme. DASA is already working with Matra on the anti-runway Apache for the German air force.
The German/Swedish alliance continues to push Bonn to support the KEPD-350. Funding for a study to examine the weapon against air force requirements could be released later this month.
DASA claims that Bonn has lost interest in the Apache to meet its stand-off missile requirement. The programme is not included in the draft 1997 budget.
Source: Flight International
