The BAE Systems Nulka anti-missile asset was installed on its 100th Navy ship, BAE announced.

Nulka is a rocket propelled active decoy designed to lure anti-ship missiles away from the intended target.

Originally conceived in Australia, and developed under a joint Australian and U.S. program, it provides warships with all-weather defense against anti-ship missiles, bringing together hovering rocket, autonomous system and electronic technologies.

The USS Higgins (DDG-76) Arleigh Burke Class destroyer was outfitted with the system, in which BAE is the prime contractor responsible for system design and integration. Two major U.S. sub-contractors, Lockheed Martin Corp. [LMT] and Aerojet, manufacture the electronic warfare (EW) payload and the rocket motor, respectively.

To date approximately 800 Nulka rounds have been produced for the Australian, U.S. and Canadian navies, and the system has been deployed on some 120 surface combat ships, with deployment on further ship classes planned.

U.S. installations are managed by the Naval Sea Systems Command with support from branches of the Navy Surface Warfare Centre and Naval Research Laboratory.

The potential threat to shipping posed by sea-skimming missiles is very real, according to BAE Systems Program Manager Simon Forrest.