Stand B21
MBDA’s stand at FIDAE 2014 will demonstrate the company’s unique capability of being able to provide latest technology guided weapons solutions to each of the armed forces – air force, navy and army. Special focus will be placed on the MBDA’s Meteor beyond visual range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) which has been described as a “game changer” in the air superiority domain and which is displayed for the first time at FIDAE. Another highlight on the stand will be a new generation of naval and ground based air defence systems deploying the highly flexible, modular CAMM missile.
AIR DOMINANCE
Today’s combat pilot is often called on to carry out multiple roles. MBDA can provide the latest generation of weapon systems to not only ensure air supremacy but also to carry out precision strikes against a wide variety of static and fast moving surface targets. This capability will be clearly shown on the Gripen model displayed on MBDA’s stand. The aircraft, in its E variant, was announced as the winner of Brazil’s FX-2 competition in December 2013. With 36 aircraft at stage, deliveries will be taking place between 2018 and 2023. Importantly, the Gripen is one of the three European platforms involved in the Meteor programme, therefore a model of this aircraft deploying Meteor will be a key element of MBDA’s display. This is the first time in Latin America that the Gripen is being shown with Meteor, a clear indication of the importance MBDA has placed in the weapon system’s potential for this market region.
Meteor is a six European nation programme which will provide Gripen, Europfighter and Rafale with a next generation BVRAAM capability.This missile’s very long range, combined with its ramjet-induced speed, result in a weapon that has an unequalled No Escape Zone. METEOR has been designed to be many times superior to the most sophisticated current and emerging Air-to-Air threat; its strength is based on its ability to provide maximum velocity and hence agility right at the very extreme of the flight envelope, during the final moments of the mission, namely the crucial end-game. Gripen has taken the lead role in the programme with the first integration firings having taken place from this platform in 2006. The first Meteor integration firings were also carried out from a Gripen last year. Meteor will be entering service and be qualified first on Gripen, with a scheduled date of 2016.
Another weapon that will also be displayed on the Gripen is MBDA’s Dual Mode Brimstone (DMB). This highly effective air-to-surface weapon, easily integrated on a range of platforms, features both a radar and a SAL (Semi-Active Laser) seeker capability. Significantly, it has proven its unerring accuracy under combat conditions during operations in Afghanistan and Libya. Recent trials have shown its remarkable accuracy against land vehicles moving at speeds of 70km/h in a cluttered environment as well as its unique ability to neutralize the fast emerging FIAC (Fast Inshore Attack Craft) threat in littoral waters (Brimstone has carried out anti-FIAC firings in both air launched and surface-to-surface scenarios).
As an option for Gripen’s short range air defence, MBDA’s ASRAAM missile will also be shown on the model. This air dominance weapon, already in service with the UK’s RAF and the Australian RAAF, features exceptionally fast speed off the launch rail to ensure the pilot of “first shot-first kill”, thereby avoiding the uncertainty of a close range dogfight.
AIR DEFENCE
MBDA is associated with the world’s leading developments in both ground and naval based air defence. With Aster and VL MICA missiles, MBDA has established itself at the forefront of this area of technology with systems capable of defeating the wide range of airborne threat from combat aircraft to UAVs and cruise missiles. Both VL MICA and Aster missile based systems are in service and have proven their capabilities after numerous successful test firings. Aster missiles have shown their capabilities against targets representing not only sea-skimming, supersonic anti-ship missiles but also ballistic missiles. Both Aster and VL MICA will be displayed by MBDA at FIDAE.
MBDA’s latest addition to its catalogues of air defence systems is based on the CAMM modular missile. This is being developed for the UK armed forces to replace the Seawolf systems currently deployed in its fleet of Type 23 destroyers and also its Rapier ground based air defence systems. In due course the CAMM missile will also feed technology towards a future development of the ASRAAM missile.
CAMM, as well as being modular and hence highly flexible in its applications, also features a number of operational advantages. Being a soft-launch system, it is extremely easy to install within a new ship build or a ship refit as it needs no special arrangement for efflux management. In 2013, MBDA received the development and production order for the naval CAMM system to supply the UK Royal Navy where it will be known as Sea Ceptor. In the first instance, Sea Ceptor will replace Seawolf and then be transferred to the Royal Navy’s new Type 26 ships as they take over from the Type 23. Last year also saw the first export success for Sea Ceptor, with the missile being selected by the Royal Navy of New Zealand as part of its upgrade programme for its two ANZAC class frigates.
For a highly mobile urban air defence system, CAMM also offers many advantages. One of these, and highly important for an urban system, is the fact that the soft launched CAMM does not have a booster which of course, following its ejection, would pose dangers not only to civilian property but also to civilian safety as well. This low cost, 360° coverage system, with its range covering from 1km to well over 25km, is already interesting customers around the world and will be an important part of MBDA’s FIDAE display.
MARITIME SUPERIORITY
With vast coastlines being a feature of many Latin American countries, anti-ship capabilities in both blue water and littoral areas are crucial to maintain and protect national territorial integrity. To provide customers with the widest choice of solutions possible, MBDA can offer two families of missile based on Exocet and Marte. Both are extremely versatile and include fixed, rotary and surface launched versions. Both families are being displayed at FIDAE.
Exocet AM39, which has been digitized during recent upgrades to make it fully compliant with the latest generation of air platform, is being shown on an EC725 Caracal helicopter model. Exocet’s capabilities are well known around the world with over 30 countries deploying it as their main anti-ship capability (over 3,500 Exocet missiles have been sold). The weapon system has gone from strength to strength since its inception and the latest MM40 Block 3 evolution, also on show at FIDAE, is the leading weapon in the 200km class featuring the tradition capabilities of its forerunner but now also having a littoral land attack capability against fixed targets as well.
The Marte missile is equally flexible as is being demonstrated at FIDAE where it will be displayed in its MK2/S version on a model of the CN295 aircraft (which is operated by the armed forces of Brazil, Chile and Columbia). To show Marte’s surface launched capabilities (both from ships and coastal launchers) the MK2/N variant will also be on view
