Brimstone (missile) - Development

Development

The missile was designed to meet the RAF's requirement for a long range anti-armour weapon, allowing strike aircraft to attack tanks and armoured vehicles at stand-off range, replacing the BL755 cluster bomb. This requirement was issued following an assessment of the British military's performance in the Gulf War. GEC-Marconi (whose missile interests now form part of MBDA) was originally awarded the contract on 7 November 1996.

The programme ended up nearly 3 years late. The first ground firing of the Brimstone missile occurred in August 1999, followed by the first air-launched firing Tornado GR4 in September 2000. Clearance of the missile was delayed by 12 months due to the unavailability of a Tornado trials aircraft, as the RAF chose instead to rush the development of the Storm Shadow ahead of the Iraq war, but another delay of 6 months was due to the missile hitting the aircraft as it was released. Over 2000 missiles were produced.

The original Brimstone could not be used in Afghanistan as the Rules of engagement required a "man-in-the-loop". Under an Urgent Operational Requirement in 2008, modifications were made to the seeker and software of over 300 existing missiles to create Dual-Mode Brimstone. The new missiles can be laser guided according to the STANAG 3733 standard as well as retaining the millimetre wave seeker; the pilot can select either mode from the cockpit or use both simultaneously. Laser guidance allows specific enemy targets to be picked out in cluttered environments, the mmW radar ensures accuracy against moving targets.

The development and procurement of the original single-mode missiles cost £370m, a figure inflated by accounting charges relating to the delays. The development of the dual-mode version cost an additional £10m. The Daily Telegraph reports that the dual mode missiles cost £105,000 (~US$170,000), which is comparable to the cost of the AGM-65 Maverick; the MoD quote only a gross book value of £175,000, which includes development costs as well as the purchase cost of the missile. Upgrading a single-mode missile to dual mode costs between £35,000 and £45,000 plus VAT, depending on quantities ordered.

In March 2010 Brimstone was selected as the basis for the RAF's requirement under the Selective Precision Effects At Range (SPEAR) Capability 2 Block 1 programme. The Demonstration and Manufacture (D&M) contract will increase the missile's performance "significantly", and convert the warhead and rocket motor to use insensitive munitions. Brimstone 2 will have an improved seeker, a more modular design and improvements to airframe and software for "an overall increase in performance with improvements in range and engagement footprint". It is expected to enter service in late 2013. At the same time MBDA were awarded an Assessment Phase contract for SPEAR Capability 3 (formerly SPEAR Drop 2). This requires a 75 miles (121 km) range missile with a 100 kilograms (220 lb) warhead to be integrated onto the F-35 Lightning II. Spear 3 may use some modules from Brimstone, and will have flight trials by 2014.

MBDA have started testing a maritime variant called Brimstone Sea Spear for use against swarms of small boats. On 25 June 2012 a Tornado GR4 dropped a prototype that hit and sank a 6-metre inflatable boat travelling at 20kts in Sea State 3. The following month MBDA said that a viable system could be offered "within months"; the initial focus is on deployment from fast jets and surface launchers, MBDA are marketing it in the Gulf for installation on vessels down to 15m.