A CONSORTIUM led by QinetiQ has just won one of the first contracts to develop Britain's air weapons of the future.

It has secured a £2m deal under the Government's 'Guided Weapons Tower of Excellence' initiative.

The programme will last three years and will concentrate on the development of new concepts for guided missiles. Scientists from the Malvern site will be involved.

"This programme is an excellent example of how the Ministry of Defence is increasing the value it receives from fundamental defence research," said Andrew Sleigh, QinetiQ's managing director for defence.

"Work done in initial phase research programmes like this often evolves or contributes towards broader defence and commercialisation programmes and ensures that we remain at the technological cutting edge."

The initial three-year programme will see QinetiQ take part in up to eight new studies.

Each fundamental idea will be explored by a team of experts and a report produced and presented for consideration.

Any of these that show promise will then receive stage two funding to enable further, more detailed research to be initiated.

Dr Chris Leach, the MOD's research director for weapons, platforms and effectors, said: "We are looking for significant step changes in the way missiles and other guided weapons home in on the final target.

"It is only by undertaking this research that we can ensure the capabilities and superiority of our future weapon systems.

"As with most 'blue-sky' type research, we expect to have a number of studies that don't make it past the first stage, but we are confident that a number of others can be progressed further."