BRITISH AEROSPACE IS offering Australia local assembly of the Sea Skua helicopter-launched anti-ship missile (ASM), as part of its bid to secure a Royal Australian Navy (RAN) order.
The RAN is looking for a new missile as part of its larger requirement for 14 shipboard helicopters. The Sea Skua faces competition from the Aerospatiale AS.15TT, the Hughes AGM-65 Maverick and the Kongsberg Penguin.
BAe's proposal is understood to focus on, establishing an in-country assembly and support centre in conjunction with, local subsidiary British Aerospace Australia (BAeA) and the Defence Science and Technology Organisation. It would include a Sea Skua test depot and the capability to adapt and modify the missile to meet RAN needs.
Providing a high degree of local through-life support for the selected missile is a fundamental requirement for Australia. Extending this to include assembly does not require any major additional expenditure on training or other areas, says a BAeA source.
BAe's proposed Sea Skua plant would form part of the RAN's planned new central missile-support base at Point Wilson, near Geelong, Victoria. In addition to the new helicopter ASM, the base will also support the RAN's stock of Raytheon Sea Sparrow and Standard SM-1 surface-to-air missiles and McDonnell Douglas AGM-84 Harpoon ASMs.
The offer does not include territorial rights to supply other countries, but does allow for regional support. The Sea Skua is already in service with the South Korean navy and is being offered to Malaysia and New Zealand, both of which have an ASM-armed naval-helicopter requirement similar to that of Australia (Flight International, 13-19 December).
Source: Flight International