European missile giant Matra BAe Dynamics has called on the Dutch and Belgian governments to confirm participation in the Trigat medium range anti-tank missile after Britain signalled it was to buy into the $1.6 billion programme.
Germany and France have already committed to the programme, which will involve the production of 1,600 launcher units, 1,200 thermal sights and more than 35,000 missiles over a 10-year period. Trigat will allow European companies to remain in the highly competitive anti-armour market.
Emerging
Announcing UK participation in the programme, UK Defence Secretary George Robertson, comments: "It's a major element in the emerging industrial structure in the guided weapon sector".
MBD welcomed Robertson's signature on the Trigat memorandum of understanding and a company spokesman told Flight Daily News: "It should also spur on the one or two other associated countries in this programme." Production contracts are due to be signed by the end of the year.
Source: Flight Daily News