UK Defense Ministry Signs $237Mln Deal to Purchase Latest Missiles for F-35

The United Kingdom has signed a contract worth 184 million pounds ($237 million) with the European arms company MBDA for the production of an additional stockpile of an updated version of the air-to-air missile for Royal Navy's F-35B combat jets, the government said in a press release Tuesday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The United Kingdom has ordered a total of 138 F-35 aircraft from the United States.

"The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has awarded a contract worth around £184 million to ensure the UK’s new supersonic stealth combat aircraft will continue to be equipped with the latest air-to-air missile… The new contract will see MBDA manufacture an additional stockpile of an updated version of the weapon, allowing F-35 combat jets to use the missile beyond 2022," the press release reads.

According to Harriett Baldwin, the minister for defense procurement, the Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missile (ASRAAM), which is an advanced heat seeking weapon, will provide the Royal Air Force (RAF) and Royal Navy with the ability to predominate over future air adversaries.

"Wholly designed and built in the UK, this air-to-air missile on our F-35 aircraft will secure cutting-edge air power for the UK for years to come," Baldwin was quoted as saying in the press release, adding that the contract would "sustain around 400 jobs across the country."

According to the press release, RAF Typhoon and Tornado combat planes equipped with ASRAAM are taking part in the US-led anti-terrorist coalition in Syria and Iraq where they perform missions on a daily basis.