Wednesday 10:20
The RAF has recently celebrated a milestone in the development of its new Typhoon aircraft with news of the successful firing of an Advanced Short-Range Air-to-Air Missile (ASRAAM).
The trials, which took place during May, saw ASRAAM launched against targets at the Aberporth range on the Welsh coast. These were the first in-service missiles launched by Typhoon, with each successfully launched and guided to the target. Data from the tests have been analysed, confirming a successful trial where all the RAF's objectives were met.
Air Chief Marshall Sir Brian Burridge said: "This is a highly significant milestone in the development of this outstanding new aircraft. Typhoon will be at the heart of the RAF's future fighting capability. Weapons such as the ASRAAM will ensure that Typhoon is a potent force for the future."
Notes to editors
1. ASRAAM is a next generation, short range, air-to-air missile which offers a great increase in performance over current systems, and provides combat superiority against all present and projected threats.
2. The MOD's website can be found at http://www.mod.uk
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