MBDA Missile Systems

[Bürküt]

DragonFire laser achieves another UK first​

The DragonFire laser directed energy weapon (LDEW) system has achieved the UK’s first high-power firing of a laser weapon against aerial targets during a trial at the MOD Hebrides Range.


The latest trial, delivered by Dstl and the DragonFire partners - MBDA, Leonardo and QinetiQ – builds on a series of highly successful trials, including the first static high-power laser firing of a sovereign UK capability and demonstration of the DragonFire system's ability to track moving air and sea targets with very high accuracy at long range.


The UK DragonFire collaboration brings together the best of UK industry and leverages decades of weapon system manufacturing expertise to deliver enhanced layered air defence capabilities in the land and maritime domains.


The DragonFire weapon system is the result of a £100 million joint investment by industry and the UK Ministry of Defence, and together the companies involved are supporting highly skilled UK jobs in new cutting-edge technologies that are delivering a significant step-change in the UK's capability in LDEW systems.


Chris Allam, Managing Director, MBDA UK, said: “Together, the DragonFire partners and Dstl are demonstrating exceptional UK capability in laser directed energy weapons. The DragonFire system has been successfully proven to date and we are now closer than ever to having a unique weapon that will enable frontline commands to meet the rapidly changing threats they face.”


Mark Hamilton, Managing Director Electronics UK, Leonardo said: “UK Dragonfire is a great example of how a partnership-based UK enterprise approach can be successfully applied to a major national research and technology challenge. Leonardo is drawing on decades of laser technology heritage at our Edinburgh site in our work on the project: Our beam director technology is delivering ultra-precise tracking/pointing accuracy and stability, at long range, and whilst handling such high-power laser energy passing through it. We’re pleased to have successfully tested the system against a representative aerial target at varying ranges, altitudes and speeds, supporting the first UK High Energy Laser (HEL) firing against aerial targets across its operational field of regard.”


Steve Wadey, Group Chief Executive Officer, QinetiQ said: “Achieving the UK’s first high-power firing of a laser weapon against aerial targets at the QinetiQ-managed MOD Hebrides range is a significant milestone. Our world-leading science and technology capabilities have been applied to the continued development of our advanced coherent beam-combining technology, which is delivering enhanced performance and scalability. I’m proud of the critical role we are playing in collaboration with industry partners and Dstl to support the development, test and evaluation of this sovereign capability.”

https://newsroom.mbda-systems.com/dragonfire-laser-achieves-another-uk-first/

 

[Bürküt]

Royal Navy’s Sea Viper to take on ballistic threats​

MBDA has received three contracts worth around £400 million to boost and sustain the Sea Viper principal area air defence system of the Royal Navy’s Type 45 destroyers.


Two contracts, called Sea Viper Evolution, will enable the Type 45 Destroyers to defend the Carrier Strike Group against anti-ship ballistic missiles (ASBMs). Meanwhile, another contract will provide extended and enhanced in-service support (ISS) contract for Sea Viper for a further five years. MBDA is the prime contractor and design authority for the Sea Viper weapon system, including the sensor (radar), the command and control system, and the missile.


Chris Allam, Managing Director of MBDA UK, said: “These contracts will make Sea Viper the most capable naval air defence system ever developed for the Royal Navy in our 60 year history as the Navy’s primary air defence system supplier. They will also see the UK further enhance the co-operation with France and Italy through MBDA by joining the Aster 30 Block 1 programme, giving the UK the ability to defeat anti-ship ballistic missiles.”

The main element of Sea Viper Evolution will see the Royal Navy’s existing Aster 30 missiles receive upgraded Block 1 warheads and new guidance and seeker software to deal with new anti-ship ballistic missile threats, whilst retaining its world leading anti-air warfare capability. The Type 45’s Sampson multi-function radar, and combat management system will also be upgraded. An integrated team from MBDA across the UK, France and Italy is conducting the work together with BAE Systems Maritime Services.

Scott Jamieson, Managing Director, BAE Systems’ Maritime Services business, said: “Our Radar business is excited to be working with MBDA on the Sea Viper Evolution upgrade to our SAMPSON Radar on board the UK’s Type 45 Destroyers. This new capability will form a key element of the UK’s Maritime Ballistic Missile Defence programme.”


The second part of Sea Viper Evolution is an assessment phase evaluating adding the new Aster 30 Block 1NT missile to the Type 45 destroyers, as well as further improvements to the radar and the wider weapon system, to provide world leading capabilities against medium range manoeuvring and separating ballistic missiles.


The extended ISS contract will continue to build upon MBDA’s pioneering data driven approach to optimised stockpile availability, ensuring the Royal Navy have weapons ready at time of need.

https://newsroom.mbda-systems.com/royal-navys-sea-viper-to-take-on-ballistic-threats/

 

[Bürküt]

MBDA and Saab to strengthen co-operation​

France and Sweden have expressed their desire to strengthen their defence co-operation under a new strategic partnership signed on 30 January as part of French President Emmanuel Macron's state visit to Sweden. Anti-tank and air defence have been identified as priority areas for co-operation.


In this context, a major new step has been taken in the relationship between the two countries. On 31 January, Eric Béranger and Micael Johansson, the CEOs of MBDA and Saab, expressed their willingness to support this process in the fields of anti-tank and air defence, two capabilities identified as particularly critical for the armed forces of both countries, especially in the context of high-intensity conflicts. They signed Letters of Intent to strengthen the co-operation between their companies in these two fields, at the Business Forum organised in the presence of the highest French and Swedish authorities.


Eric Béranger CEO of MBDA, said:

“This is an exciting new step in our long-standing partnership with Saab. We are both world leaders in the anti-tank and air defence domains and we will be combining our expertise to deliver the best capabilities for the armed forces on the battlefield. The signature of these Letters of Intent is further proof that co-operation lies at the very heart of MBDA’s values.”

Micael Johansson, President and CEO of Saab, said:

“The closeness between Saab and MBDA is reflected in our co-operation over many years, and the deepening and broadening of that through these Letters of Intent is most welcome. Doing this here in Stockholm during the state visit by President Macron to Sweden is symbolic of how two European governments working together can facilitate industry in strengthening our collective security.”

Co-operation in the anti-tank field has resulted in an initial focus on the AKERON MP (formerly known as MMP – Missile Moyenne Portée). A first contract has been awarded to Saab and MBDA by the DGA, the French contracting entity, and the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV - Försvarets Materielverk). This will enable the pooling of MBDA and Saab’s expertise in the anti-tank domain, in order to support the French and Swedish armed forces' choice of the AKERON MP weapon system in the short term. This will also enable the implementation of a joint capability roadmap to develop new functionalities associated in particular with beyond line-of-sight firing, and also to prepare the missile to address the future generation of targets that will arrive on the battlefield. This roadmap will maintain AKERON MP's position as the benchmark weapon in its field, and an indispensable tool in high-intensity conflicts.


MBDA and Saab are long-standing partners, as illustrated by their co-operation on the Meteor air-to-air missile programme and the TAURUS cruise missile, as well as in the European MarsEUs consortium that aims to provide a sovereign European beyond line-of-sight missile firing capability.

https://newsroom.mbda-systems.com/mbda-and-saab-to-strengthen-co-operation-13692/

 

[Bürküt]

MBDA signs two partnership agreements for development projects in Greece​

MBDA signed two Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with Greek companies MILTECH and ALTUS as part of its "R&D Booster" initiative in Greece on 6 February 2024.


MBDA's "R&D Booster" is a component of the strategic partnership agreement between France and Greece signed in 2021 and aims to develop long-term co-operations in Europe.


Together with MILTECH and ALTUS, MBDA will collaborate on projects to develop systems based on the AKERON MP missile.


The first stage of the partnership with MILTECH concerns the development of an AKERON MP launch kit, which MBDA is now offering on the global market as an option for light automatic turrets fitted with low-calibre guns.


By joining forces with ALTUS, under the second partnership agreement, MBDA is seeking to develop a range of tactical drones equipped with AKERON MP missiles. This co-operation will begin by validating the integration of AKERON MP missiles on ALTUS’s new ATLAS 8 HEAVY LIFTER UAV.

Eric Béranger, CEO of MBDA, said: “These two new partnership agreements, signed in the framework of the strategic partnership between France and Greece, aim at developing long-term activities with the Hellenic defence industry. They cement the long-lasting relationship that exists between MBDA and Greece. They also demonstrate MBDA's ability to foster, support and strengthen industrial co-operation in Europe, a value that is at the very core of MBDA’s DNA.”

These development projects complement existing cooperation initiatives in the fields of production, services and R&D. The aim of all of these projects and contracts is to strengthen ties between MBDA and the Hellenic Defence Industrial Base.

https://newsroom.mbda-systems.com/mbda-signs-two-partnership-agreements-for-development-projects-in-greece/

 

[Bürküt]

MBDA Enforcer missile production proposed for funding by the European Commission​

21/03/2024

MBDA continues to ramp-up its production. The production ramp-up for ENFORCER missiles – ENFORCER Production Increase Campaign (EPIC) – has been proposed for funding within the European Commission’s ASAP programme.


The EPIC project aims to increase ENFORCER production significantly and thus will contribute to the further enlargement of the series production of ENFORCER missiles at MBDA in Schrobenhausen/Germany and at MBDA partner companies in Europe.


Eric Béranger, CEO of MBDA, declared: “The ASAP EPIC project is a great opportunity to ramp up the ENFORCER missile production, while making it more resilient and faster. Series production of the ENFORCER is now well under way and the first deliveries to the German Armed Forces will follow this year. Also an export contract has been concluded. We are increasing the production of ENFORCER missiles to meet customer demand for the years to come.”


MBDA, as the European market leader for missile systems, is investing heavily in its production capacities all over Europe. ASAP EPIC makes a decisive contribution here and contributes significantly to European resilience and the sovereignty of our customers, their armed forces and their allies.


The portable, shoulder-launched, lightweight, high-precision ENFORCER is a fire-and-forget missile system with an operational range up to 2,000m. Due to its low weight, day and night passive operation and enclosed space firing capability, ENFORCER provides a significant capability enhancement in mobile ground operations. With its unique features the ENFORCER provides precision effects capabilities against the threat from lightly armoured static and moving targets, targets behind cover, and against targets at long range also in urban environments. The modular design of the ENFORCER system enables a range of future development options, including a ‘family’ of Enforcer munitions for land, air and sea applications.

https://newsroom.mbda-systems.com/mbda-enforcer-missile-production-proposed-for-funding-by-the-european-commission/