Since the British already have an arsenal of Aster 30 air defense missiles for Type 45 destroyers, they want to see if they can also be used on new Type 26 and Type 31 frigates, which will be equipped with American Mk 41 launchers.
The United Kingdom is allocating £2 million, or $2.732 million, to MBDA UK for a feasibility study on integrating European Aster 30 air defense missiles into American Mk 41 vertical launch systems. The work is planned to run from February 2026 through March 2027.
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The government tender notice states that the project aims to inform future development decisions. It should also help increase flexibility and eliminate the need to use different launchers for different missiles.
Currently, British Type 45 destroyers use 48-cell Sylver launch systems capable of firing Aster 30 missiles. The latter is a fairly popular European solution that underpins, among other things, the SAMP/T air defense system, which is promoted as a local alternative to the Patriot system.
However, the UK plans to transition its fleet to American Mk 41 launchers as the new standard. These are compatible with, among other things, Tomahawk and JSM cruise missiles, as well as SM-3 and SM-6 air defense missiles. The new British MBDA Stratus LO cruise missile is also being developed for them.
Currently, the British have their own stockpile of Aster 30 missiles, which are also being upgraded to Block 1NT level. So it would be a certain loss not to be able to use them on new ships. Moreover, they would have to simultaneously procure and maintain several systems in the same niche, leading to unnecessary costs.
It makes complete sense to research the feasibility of integrating existing missiles into American launch systems. Plus, this will allow maintaining a certain level of unification with both the U.S. and European NATO countries. We should also add that other operators may be interested in a similar solution.
It should be noted that this is only a preliminary feasibility analysis so far, and the actual adaptation of Aster 30 to Mk 41 will require a new contract and most likely several years. However, this is a step in the right direction, especially given the British military's budget constraints.
Overall, new launchers are planned for installation on Type 26 and Type 31 frigates, which are currently under construction. Mk 41 launchers will also be on German F127s in a 96-cell variant,which will provide very serious firepower.
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