United Kingdom Legacy MBDA
ALARM
British air-launched anti-radiation missile designed to loiter by parachute before diving on enemy radar emissions, retired from RAF service in 2013.
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗
93
km range
2
Mach
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
UK export-licensed
Subject to UK SPIRE licensing (ECJU); generally available to allied states.
Channel: Government-to-government or direct
Fielded & proven
Operator data not public
Status: legacy.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
No public unit price to model from. Why so few systems publish one →
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Competitive field
188 comparable systems from 43 other manufacturers
Counted in the WeaponSpecs database: missiles built by another manufacturer. A count of what this catalog holds, not a survey of the whole market. See the alternatives →
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
| Max speed (Mach) Maximum speed as a multiple of the speed of sound. Mach 2+ is typical for air-superiority fighters. | 2 Mach |
|---|---|
| Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence. | 93 km |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Warhead type Blast-fragmentation, shaped charge (HEAT), penetrator, thermobaric or nuclear-capable. | High-explosive with laser proximity fuze |
|---|---|
| Guidance How the weapon finds its target: inertial, GPS/GLONASS, active/semi-active radar, infrared, laser, TV, wire. | Passive radar seeker (anti-radiation) |
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
| Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable. | 4.24 m |
|---|---|
| Width Overall width, matters for rail/road transport of vehicles. | 0.23 m |
| Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor. | 268 kg |
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
| Engine Powerplant model and type. | Bayern-Chemie two-stage solid-fuel rocket motor |
|---|---|
| Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet… | Solid-fuel rocket |
Specifications compiled from public MBDA and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-05.
Compare with rivals
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Boeing AGM-86 ALCM Frequently asked questions
What is the range of the MBDA ALARM? +
The MBDA ALARM has a maximum range of 93 km.
How much does the MBDA ALARM weigh? +
The MBDA ALARM has a combat weight of 268 kg.
What engine does the MBDA ALARM use? +
The MBDA ALARM is powered by the Bayern-Chemie two-stage solid-fuel rocket motor.
