Cobham and Rafael to cooperate on missile capabilities
Rafael Advanced Defence Systems and Cobham Mission Systems (CMS) have agreed to a non-exclusive arrangement that will enable a joint approach to combine Rafael's missile capabilities with Cobham launchers.
Above:
A Rafael Python-5 missile.
Courtesy Rafael
Early products will include Rafael’s well-established I-Derby / I-Derby ER BVRAAM in combination with the CMS Fox-10 Lightweight (33kg) Advanced Missile Launcher with clearances for the Python-5 SRAAM on Fox-10 to follow.
Fox-10 is the principle design for Cobham’s Advanced Missile Launcher family, which is suitable for fast jets, rotary wing and unmanned air vehicles. The lightweight and ITAR free launcher is designed to carry Short Range Air-to-Air Missiles (SRAAM) and Beyond-Visual-Range Missiles (BVRAAM) with a forward umbilical (only) up to a missile mass of 125kg.
The agreement between Rafael and CMS will bring significant customer benefits as the proven missile and launcher combinations will eliminate product integration issues, reduce programme risk and reveal wider savings. Working together in this way will reduce response time and improve the technical solution options.
Steve Harris, CMS Business Development Director, said: “Fox-10 is a high performance system, which provides customers with a lightweight, state of the art weapons interface compatible with the latest Air-to-Air missiles”
Shachar Shohat, Director of Marketing and BD at Rafael’s Air & Missile Defense Division, said: "RAFAEL’s Air-to-Air customers include 13 Air Forces worldwide. Rafael has developed and fielded five generations of Short-Range Air-to-Air missiles and two generations of Medium-Range BVR Air-to-Air missiles. These missiles have participated in multiple high-intensity conflicts, with many interceptions of enemy aircraft, including fighters, helicopters & UAVs."