MBDA announced that it has signed a £1.86 million contract with the UK Ministry of Defence to assess the potential integration of Aster 30 air defence missiles into the Mk.41 Vertical Launching System (VLS)…
The study, expected to be completed in 2027, will examine the technical feasibility of launching Aster 30 missiles from the Mk.41 VLS.
The Royal Navy currently operates Aster 30 missiles from SYLVER launchers aboard its Type 45 destroyers, while the new Type 26 and Type 31 frigates will be equipped with Mk.41 VLS.
If the integration proves technically feasible, the Royal Navy could equip its new frigates with different air and missile defence capabilities on the same platform.
The Mk.41 Vertical Launching System (VLS), developed by Lockheed Martin, is a modular launcher system designed to accommodate different types of missiles aboard naval vessels.
Built in modules, each containing eight missile cells, the system can launch a range of munitions depending on its configuration, including SM-2, SM-3, SM-6, ESSM, Tomahawk and VL-ASROC missiles…