PAS 2025 – FC/ASW: European new generation missiles developments
The Future Cruise/Anti-Ship Weapon (FC/ASW), or Futur Missile Antinavire/Futur Missile de Croisière (FMAN/FMC) in French, led by MBDA, aims to develop two new advanced missiles to replace the Exocet, Harpoon and SCALP/Storm Shadow whose performances have become insufficient confronted to new threats and advanced defences. The two complementary concepts are currently under development and will be deployed by French, British and Italian forces
The stealthy subsonic missile: discretion and versatility
The first missile, named TP15, will be subsonic and stealthy. It will be powered by a new-generation turbojet engine jointly developed by Rolls-Royce and Safran, and will reach a speed of less than Mach 1. It will be just over 5 metres long, and its very low radar cross section will enable it to penetrate advanced air defences. Like the SCALP/Storm Shadow, it will be equipped with a new-generation infrared imaging seeker for guidance, and will be able to strike ground targets (depots, HQs, critical infrastructure) with a secondary anti-ship capability. The TP15 is being developed under British leadership.
The supersonic ramjet missile: power and speed
The second missile is named RJ10 supersonic and will use a ramjet, engine a technology derived from experience with French ASMP missiles. It will reach speed between Mach 3 and Mach 5, while receiving sufficient manoeuvrability to outmanoeuvre enemy defences and give them no time to react. It will be guided by a new-generation active radar developed by Thales and MBDA UK. Its main role will be target neutralisation at very long-range, such as SEAD/DEAD missions (Suppression/Destruction of Enemy Air Defences). The RJ10 missile is being developed under French Leadership.
Programme progress and timetable
The technological maturation and component testing phases are underway; demonstrator and propulsion tests have already been carried out on both misiles. The preliminary design review is scheduled to start at the end of 2025, and the first large-scale flight tests should begin between 2026 and 2028.
The aim is to equip the armed forces by the end of the decade or very early in the 2030s. Some sources suggest that the first weapons could be delivered as early as 2028, a year ahead of the original timetable.
Photos by J. Roukoz
