Britain is moving to develop a new long-range anti-tank weapon to restore a capability the Army has been without for more than 30 years.
Defence minister Luke Pollard has announced that MBDA and Thales have been awarded contracts to explore technology for a new weapon capable of attacking enemy armour beyond soldiers’ direct line of sight.
The capability has been missing from the British Army since the Swingfire anti-tank missile was withdrawn from service more than three decades ago.
If successfully developed and brought into service, the new system could allow British troops to strike enemy tanks and other armoured vehicles from greater distances while reducing their own exposure on the battlefield.
However, the announcement is still at an early stage, with the contracts covering work to explore the technology rather than an order for a finished weapon.
Speaking at the DVD 2026 land warfare exhibition, Pollard said: “And thirdly, I can also announce today that we have awarded contracts to MBDA and Thales to explore how we can develop the tech behind a new beyond-line-of-sight anti-armour weapon system, a capability that the British Army has not had since Swingfire, left service over 30 years ago, a capability that can drastically improve the ability of our land forces to strike and survive on the modern battlefield.”
Swingfire was a British anti-tank guided missile which entered service during the Cold War and could make a sharp turn after launch, allowing the vehicle firing it to remain concealed while the weapon was guided towards its target.
Its withdrawal left a gap in the Army’s ability to attack armour at longer distances from the ground without needing a direct view of the target.
The move comes as Britain attempts to modernise its land forces following lessons learned from the war in Ukraine, where drones, surveillance technology and long-range weapons have demonstrated the vulnerability of tanks and other armoured vehicles on the modern battlefield.
The Government says the new work forms part of the Army’s wider Recce Strike programme, intended to bring together battlefield surveillance, targeting and longer-range firepower.
Pollard described the approach as being built around “better targeting, better battlefield surveillance and more lethal long range fire”.
The Government has committed more than £19billion to land warfare capabilities over the next four years, alongside £11billion for weapons and ammunition.
Other plans include £190million for short-range ballistic missiles, £400million for lower-cost one-way attack drones and weapons, and £220million for Project Nyx, which is intended to develop armed autonomous aircraft capable of operating alongside Apache attack helicopters.
A further £370million is being committed to Project Asgard, a digital command-and-control system intended to help connect information and weapons across the battlefield.
Pollard said the programmes were being shaped by lessons from Ukraine and acknowledged that Britain’s defence procurement system has not moved as quickly as required in the past.
He said: “I think it’s fair to say that everyone in this room, regardless of what kind of clothing you are wearing today, will know that defence procurement is not as fast as we would all like it to be.”
The involvement of MBDA and Thales could also provide opportunities for Britain’s defence industry if the project eventually progresses from development into production.
MBDA has significant operations in Britain and is already involved in the development and manufacture of complex weapons for the UK Armed Forces.
The company said ahead of DVD 2026 that its work in Britain includes developing lower-cost weapons, integrating new capabilities onto existing military platforms and investing in technologies for future land warfare.
For Britain, rebuilding military capability while supporting defence manufacturing at home has obvious strategic and industrial benefits.
But the announcement will also put the focus on delivery.
The Army has gone more than three decades without the capability ministers now say could “drastically improve” the ability of British forces to strike and survive.
For now, MBDA and Thales have contracts to explore the technology.
The real test for the Labour Government will be whether that work ultimately results in weapons being manufactured and put into the hands of British soldiers, and how quickly it can make that happen.
