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ALARM, out of service


Catbird

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Apparently the RAF has taken the ALARM missile out of service. Another cutback. I suppose they will rely on the Brimstone now.

Not likely,we don't have many of them servicable after Libya according to a couple of serving plumb mates.

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From what I've read ALARM has a 20 year shelf life. Seeing as it was introduced into service around the time of GW1 then it follows that here we are 23 years later and it's being withdrawn.

There's one that came down on its parachute and never detonated in the Belgrade Air Museum. It's surprisingly big. There's also one (as well as a Sky Flash and Sea Eagle) as a gate guard at DM Crombie in Fife. Used to drive past it every time I went in or out of the place last year.

I suspect you could perhaps reason its withdrawal something along the lines of not needing to penetrate heavy radar guided SAM defences nowadays when you can launch a Storm Shadow from 150 miles away. Likewise the newer double digit SAM systems like the SA-20 have engagement ranges much greater than an ALARM, so it's probably a bit redundant these days. One of those capabilities that's good to have but not necessarily vital given the limited defence budget and other options and capabilities available.

Edited by Pielstick
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From what I've read ALARM has a 20 year shelf life. Seeing as it was introduced into service around the time of GW1 then it follows that here we are 23 years later and it's being withdrawn.

There's one that came down on its parachute and never detonated in the Belgrade Air Museum. It's surprisingly big. There's also one (as well as a Sky Flash and Sea Eagle) as a gate guard at DM Crombie in Fife. Used to drive past it every time I went in or out of the place last year.

Only a couple of miles from me!

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So what will replace ALARM? Brimstone has been mentioned but that doesn't have an anti-radar capability. Maybe the RAF will buy HARM instead, but that doesn't have anywhere near the range of capability of ALARM.

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No replacement as far as I know.

The US Navy and the Italians have developed an improved HARM called AGM-88E AARGM which is just coming online. I'd imagine that could be an option in the future if it was deemed necessary.

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