MBDA is showcasing the wide array of missiles that it has for every conceivable theatre on land, air, sea and undersea on Stand 9.
While some missiles are interoperable, several others are role and theatre specific with distinguished capabilities. MBDA’s range of air-to-air and air-to-surface missile systems equip the latest generation of aircraft in service with many of the world’s air forces. These systems include both short-range and beyond visual range fire-and-forget weapons designed to ensure the aircraft’s safety as it strives to secure and protect the airspace.
MBDA’s Meteor is a beyond visual range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) that is in service with the Swedish Air Force’s JAS 39 Gripens, as well as with the Royal Thai Air Force, and the Brimstone precision attack weapon. MBDA is closely associated with the Exocet anti-ship missile, and will be showing the Exocet MM40 Block 3 new generation long-range system. However, this is only one of a number of ship, fixed and rotary wing aircraft launched anti-ship missiles that MBDA supplies to the modern navy that include the Exocet SM39. This is an air launched version currently carried by the Rafale fighter. Also on show is the Marte ER, a ship-launched sea-skimming anti-ship missile with turbojet propulsion and a range of 120km (75 miles).
Defence against this complex threat calls for networked surveillance and control systems as well as a layered architecture of short, medium and long range anti-air missiles. MBDA’s expertise in creating effective ground based and naval air defensive ‘umbrellas’ has positioned it as an industry leader. It will display two variants of its Vertical Launch MICA (VL MICA) which is a short-range air defence system, an all weather missile with thrust vector control, the ground-based VL MICA battery and the Naval Vertical Launch point and close area system, plus the Mistral Simbad Remote Control (RC) naval lightweight twin launcher for ship self-defence.
