LFK GmbH / MBDA Deutschland and Alliant Techsystems (NYSE: ATK) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to assess potential workshare opportunities with the German Ministry of Defense (MoD) on the AGM-88E Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile (AARGM).

Under the MOU, opportunities for Germany to carry out production and undertake work under the product improvement phase of the AARGM programme are identified. In addition, the MOU details opportunities for derivatives of the AGM-88 High-speed Anti-Radiation Missile (HARM).

In 2005, MBDA Italy became ATK’s first international partner for the AARGM programme together with the US Department of Defense when the Italian Ministry of Defense signed a workshare agreement. If the German Ministry of Defense joins the AARGM cooperative team, LFK GmbH would be integrated into this industry team.

Werner Kaltenegger, CEO of LFK GmbH and Managing Director of MBDA Deutschland, said: “An integration into this industry team would create the framework to fulfil the needs of our German customer for future HARM requirements and pave the way for the company to participate in this high-tech programme. It would also strengthen our long-standing successful transatlantic cooperation. LFK GmbH is proud to have this opportunity to join forces with ATK.”

AARGM is a supersonic, air-launched tactical missile that will be integrated on the F/A-18 C/D, F/A-18 E/F, EA-18G and Tornado IDS/ECR aircraft. The missile is also being designed to be compatible with the EA-6B and U.S. and Allied F-16 aircraft.  Its advanced multi-sensor system, including a Millimeter Wave (MMW) terminal seeker, advanced digital Anti-Radiation Homing (ARH) receiver and a GPS/INS, is capable of rapidly engaging traditional and advanced enemy air defence targets as well as non-radar time-sensitive strike targets. The AARGM MMW seeker can operate in concert with the ARH to counter RF shutdown tactics or in a stand-alone mode to discriminate non-emitting time sensitive targets. AARGM is a network-enabled weapon that directly receives tactical intelligence information via an embedded data link and provides near real-time Weapon Impact Assessment (WIA) reports