Ramon Lopez/WASHINGTON DC

THE USA HAS finally dumped its CorpsSAM medium-range air-defence system in favour of an international programme to replace the Raytheon Patriot air-defence missile.

The USA, Germany, France and Italy have agreed in principle to jointly develop and produce a next-generation medium-range air-defence weapon.

The four NATO members signed a letter of intent to co-operate on the research and development of a mobile surface-to-air missile able to neutralise tactical ballistic missiles, stealthy cruise missiles and advanced bombers.

The move spells the end for the troubled CorpsSAM project, in which US firms were competing to provide the Pentagon with the Patriot replacement.

Details of weapons development will be laid out in an intergovernmental memorandum of understanding to be signed in October. The MoU will specify each country's financial commitment and programme management issues.

The total cost of the Medium Extended Air Defence System (MEADS) is unknown, but Pentagon officials say that research and development will cost at least $2 billion. The deal calls for a programme cost and work-share of about 50% for the USA, 20% each for France and Germany and 10% for Italy.

John Deutch, the Pentagon's deputy defence chief says, "This is an important capability for an uncertain world, in which proliferation is taking place. I regard MEADS as a model of the kind of co-operation that is required in the post Cold War world, where we still face dangerous threats, but our budgets are reduced."

The first research and development phase, project definition and validation (PD&V) will be conducted by two competing US/European industrial teams. One team will be selected to finish research and development and build the air-defence weapon.

The Pentagon will issue a request for proposals (RFP) for the MEADS later this month. US competitors will be selected in October, and international teaming is to be completed within a year.

The PD&V would run from 1996 to 1998, and the MEADS winner would be selected in early 1999. Initial fielding of the MEADS is scheduled for 2005.

The CorpsSAM competitors are expected to bid on the MEADS. They include Hughes Aircraft, Lockheed, Loral, Martin Marietta and Raytheon. European firms expected to bid include Aerospatiale, Alenia, DASA, Thomson-CSF and Siemens.

Source: Flight International