HARM
Harm is a morality, moral and law, legal concept with multiple definitions. It generally functions as a synonym for evil or anything that is bad under certain moral systems. Something that causes harm is harmful, and something that does not is har ...
missile. Defence Secretary
Michael Heseltine
Michael Ray Dibdin Heseltine, Baron Heseltine, (; born 21 March 1933) is a British politician. Having begun his career as a property developer, he became one of the founders of the publishing house Haymarket Media Group in 1957. Heseltine se ...
announced the selection of ALARM on 29 July 1983. The initial order was 750 missiles for the RAF. The selection process was controversial; the battle between the contractors was bitter, the Ministry of Defence favoured ALARM to retain UK industrial capabilities while the Treasury favoured the cheaper and proven HARM.
In early 1986, BAe recognised that Royal Ordnance was having difficulties delivering the missile's motor, named Nuthatch, and began to consider alternatives. Royal Ordnance's solution to the required burn-loiter-burn characteristic of the engine was complex. In July 1987, BAe, by then the owner of Royal Ordnance, replaced the Nuthatch motor with a lower risk motor designed by Bayern-Chemie. BAe's £200 million contract for the missile was renegotiated with the price increased to £400 million and delivery pushed back from 1988 to 1990. The radar seeker was made by Marconi Space and Defence Systems ( GEC) at
Stanmore
Stanmore is part of the London Borough of Harrow in Greater London. It is centred northwest of Charing Cross, lies on the outskirts of the London urban area and includes Stanmore Hill, one of the List of highest points in London, highest point ...
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The ALARM missile was officially retired by the UK at the end of 2013, but continued to be used by the Saudis.
Features
ALARM is a fire-and-forget system, with an added loiter capability. In loiter mode, ALARM will, when launched, climb to an altitude of . If the target radar shuts down, the missile will deploy a parachute and descend slowly until the radar lights up. The missile will then fire a secondary motor to attack the target.
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the Air force, air and space force of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. It was formed towards the end of the World War I, First World War on 1 April 1918, on the merger of t ...
MBDA
MBDA is a European multinational corporation specialized in the design, development and manufacturing of Missile, missiles and related systems.Proximity fused high-explosive
* Range: 93 km
* Fuse: Laser Proximity
* Guidance system: Pre-programmed/passive radar seeker
* Unit Cost: undisclosed
* Date Deployed: 1990
* User: UK ( RAF)
** Tornado GR.4
** Tornado F3: fitted in time for 2003 Gulf War, receiving designation Tornado EF3
** Weapon has been "fit checked" on other RAF aircraft, such as the Jaguar. Due to its relatively large weight it is not suited to the entire RAF fleet.
** Also was expected to be usable on the Eurofighter Typhoon, but this requirement was deleted.Major Projects Report 2008, page 149(155) . UK Ministry of Defence, 2008.