The continued evolution of MBDA's Meteor beyond visual range air-to-air missile, seen here near a German Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon, is one of the programmes expected to be delivered for the UK under PMA2. (MBDA)
The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) and missile manufacturer MBDA have renewed their long-term strategic partnership on complex weapons for a further decade.
Announced at the Farnborough International Air Show 2024 on 22 July, the accord – known as Portfolio Management Agreement 2 (PMA2) – is intended to sustain a UK national capability for complex weapon systems design, development, production, and support. The agreement, secured through the Complex Weapons Team at Defence Equipment and Support, represents an investment of at least GBP6.5 billion (USD8.4 billion) over the 10-year period, said the MoD.
The original PMA, signed by MBDA and the MoD back in 2010, was designed to transform the sovereign complex weapons industrial base, deliver significant cost efficiencies, offer greater programming flexibility to the MoD, maintain operational freedom of action, and grow the UK's guided weapon export business. The MoD and MBDA claim that this original agreement achieved savings of GBP2.6 billion.
PMA2 builds on this earlier agreement but incorporates ‘lessons learned' to further improve the management and performance of the complex weapons portfolio, said MBDA. This includes improved commercial agreements, acceleration of procurement processes, and enabling ‘always-on' manufacturing to ensure industry is at a high state of readiness to respond to ‘surge' demands.
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