The RAF's four remaining fighter squadrons are being equipped with the latest, fastest and most lethal short-range anti-aircraft missile in the world. A new UK-designed weapon, named ASRAAM (Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missile), chases down targets using a highly advanced homing head. It can 'see' an image of the hostile aircraft it is about to destroy.

It can go further and faster than the weapon it replaces - the Sidewinder - and its advanced homing head and in-flight agility mean it will be almost impossible to evade.

At the unveiling ceremony at RAF Leuchars the day before the base's airshow, Air Cdre Andy Sweetman, the MOD's Director of Equipment Capability who has been responsible for bringing ASRAAM into service, said: "I believe this is the best air-to-air missile in the world. It will give the RAF a combat-winning edge and our aircrews the confidence that they can prevail against any potential adversary."

The RAF has successfully completed a demanding series of trials with ASRAAM and the weapon is ready to be deployed on operations. It is a fast, highly agile, fire-and-forget missile for short-range air-to-air combat. It is highly capable even when faced with sophisticated infrared countermeasures. It will be carried by Tornado F3, replacing Sidewinder AIM-9L, and will also be fitted to the Typhoon when the aircraft becomes available for operational deployment later this decade.

Aircrew at RAF Leuchars and RAF Leeming have been training with ASRAAM since January to familiarise themselves with the missile's capabilities and performance ahead of deployment to operational theatres. The training demonstrated the tactical advantages provided by ASRAAM in simulated combat engagements against other air forces in the Air Combat Manoeuvring Range in the North Sea. Training is now complete and the missile is ready to go into full operational service.

ASRAAM is a revolutionary design offering the fastest reaction time of any short-range missile from button press to end game performance. The ability to launch at high off-boresight angles plus the missile's agility, short-time-to-target and effectiveness to defeat all known future threats in the severest cloud clutter and countermeasures environments provides the pilot with significant tactical advantages during aerial engagements.

ASRAAM has also been ordered by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) to arm its F/A-18 Hornet combat aircraft and is undergoing service clearance and acceptance by the RAAF. The weapon is scheduled to enter service with the RAAF in 2003.

ASRAAM is now in full-scale production at MBDA's Lostock factory in North-West England. There will be a continued incremental development programme with further software upgrades to optimise the missile's operational capability. The total procurement cost is £857M; £9M less than the original cost when the project was approved.