Andrzej Jeziorski/MUNICH Douglas Barrie/LONDON
Israel is emerging as a potential industrial partner for Germany on the latter's proposed Aramis ramjet-rocket anti-radiation missile now in development.
German-programme lead company Bodenseewerk Gerätetechnik (BGT), has been forced to look for other collaborative partners, in the wake of the French deciding not to pursue the programme.
The two countries had been jointly funding technology-demonstrator projects aimed at producing a replacement for the French air force's Matra Armat and German air force's Texas Instruments AGM-88 HARM anti-radiation missiles. BGT confirms that Israel could fill the gap left by France. Preliminary talks have already been held and further negotiations were due this month.
Israel Aircraft Industries' MBT unit, responsible for the Harpy anti-radiation drone is understood to be involved in the talks, according to Israeli sources.
The German air force is looking to introduce its AGM-88 replacement, beginning in 2006. The concept-development phase of the project runs until 2000 and includes development of a dual-mode passive-radar/imaging-infra-red seeker.
BGT also harbours ambitions to turn the Aramis into a tri-national programme, hoping to persuade the USA to join the project to provide its own successor to the AGM-88. Sources indicate, however, that the chances of this remain slim.
The Aramis missile would rely on the Bayern Chemie ram-rocket motor being offered as part of the Matra British Aerospace Dynamics Meteor missile bid to meet the Royal Air Force's medium-range air-to-air-missile requirement.
Using a ramjet-rocket power plant rather than a conventional solid-rocket motor provides the missile with a greater engagement envelope. Although a solid-rocket-powered missile will have a greater maximum acceleration, the average acceleration of a ramjet rocket missile will be considerably more.
Source: Flight International