In a written parliamentary question Jeremy Quin, Minister of State for the Ministry of Defence revealed that the Future Cruise/Anti-Ship Weapon (FCASW) will equip both navies, Royal Navy and French Navy (Marine Nationale) starting 2028.However, the French side has yet to officially disclose in-service dates for the French Navy and French Air Force.
“The planning assumption for service entry for future Cruise /Anti-Ship Weapon on the T26 Frigate and Typhoon aircraft is 2028 and 2030 respectively.”
Jeremy Quin, Minister of State for the Ministry of Defence
Jeremy Quin disclosed additional details regarding the planned schedule for the FCASW development:
“The Future Cruise/ Anti-Ship Weapon Programme is due to complete Concept Phase activity in July 2021. The Concept Phase has been focussed on conducting in depth operational analysis, technical studies and initial design activity to refine user requirements and better understand the options available to MOD to meet these. The Concept Phase findings forms part of the Programme’s Outline Business Case for Ministerial consideration.”
Jeremy Quin, Minister of State for the Ministry of Defence
According to an article published by reliable website Navy Lookout, FCASW is set to be compatible with the Mk41 VLS cells of the Type 26 frigates as well as the Sylver A70 cells of the French Navy.
About FC/ASW
Following the Lancaster House agreement of 2010, France and the United Kingdom launched in 2017 a joint program with the goal to replace their cruise and anti-ship missiles circa 2030.
Named FC/ASW for Future Cruise/Anti-Ship Weapon (or FMAN/FMC for futur missile anti-navire/futur missile de croisière in French), the program is led by European missile leader MBDA. The FC/ASW aims to replace the air launched Scalp/Storm Shadow as well as the air and ship launched Exocet and Harpoon anti-ship missiles currently in service with French and British air forces and navies.
The FC/ASW seeks to develop a new generation of deep strike and anti-ship missiles by 2030. It aims at replacing the capabilities provided by Storm Shadow/ SCALP air launched cruise missile in operational service in the UK and France as well as the Exocet anti-ship missile in France and the Harpoon anti-ship missile in the UK.
MBDA announced the successful achievement of the FC/ASW (Future Cruise/Anti-Ship Weapon) “Key Review” phase, jointly conducted with the British Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) and the French Defense Procurement Agency (DGA) in 2019.
In the meantime, UK is considering an interim to replace the obsolete Harpoon Block 1C, off the shelf anti-ship missile solution for its current and future surface fleet (with the first Type 26 frigate set to be delivered around 2025). Dubbed Next Generation Interim Surface Ship Guided Weapon (ISSGW), the missile would be delivered starting December 2023.
