MBDA's BRIMSTONE-2 precision attack weapon
MBDA presents L&T MBDA Missile Systems Ltd to deliver Make in India and Indian Designed, Developed and Manufactured capabilities
Chennai: DEFEXPO 2018 is particularly exciting to MBDA as it will be the first time L&T MBDA Missile Systems Ltd, the Joint Venture formed will be at the exhibition.
L&T MBDA Missile Systems Ltd as a key channel for delivering the next generation of complex weapons capabilities to the Indian Armed Forces and developing the capabilities of India’s defence industry in the complex weapons sector. L&T MBDA Missile Systems Ltd will have its own unique stand and will be showcasing a number of products, including ATGM5 and Exocet MM40 B3. MBDA will be exhibiting a full range of its missiles and missile systems portfolio on its own stand that could be of interest to India and other countries across the main defence domains: air, land and sea.
MICA
MICA is being delivered for the IAF’s Mirage 2000 upgrade. It is also a weapon system closely associated with the Rafale. Showcased on MBDA’s stand, this is the only missile in the world featuring two interoperable seekers (active radar and imaging infrared) to cover the spectrum from close-in dogfight to long beyond visual range. Its ability to fly out to BVR in passive mode before the seeker locks on in the final stages of the end game has earned it the nickname “silent killer” as the target has little time to react or to deploy effective countermeasures.
EXOCET MM40 Block 3
EXOCET probably ranks as the world’s best known anti-ship missile. It is known in India where the submarine variant, SM39, has been delivered to the Indian Navy to arm its Scorpene submarines (Project 75).
Exocet MM40 Block 3 is the latest version of the famous Exocet missile family, and includes the replacement of the missile’s traditional rocket motor with a turbojet to extend the range of the system out to 200 km while the missile’s already excellent navigation system has seen further enhancements. As the Indian Armed Forces already operate SM 39, which is part of the Exocet family, it is a logical step to also use Exocet in other operational areas. In doing so, it would provide significant operational, logistics and training advantages. MM40 Exocet Block 3 is being offered by L&T MBDA Missile Systems Ltd in response to India’s RFI for the Medium Range Anti-Ship Missile, and will be present on the stand of L&T MBDA Missile Systems Ltd.
ATGM5
One of the most exciting examples of this is ATGM5 which will be designed and manufactured in India to meet India’s specific operational requirements. ATGM5 will draw on the next generation technologies of the MMP battlefield anti-tank weapon that recently entered service in France. ATGM5 will be designed and manufactured in India to meet the specific operational requirements of the Indian Armed Forces. It will be a true Indian Designed, Developed and Manufactured (IDDM) product, involving the transfer of next generation key technologies to India, boosting the domestic defence industry sector.
METEOR
METEOR is MBDA’s revolutionary ramjet powered and network-enabled beyond visual range air-to-air missile, which is widely recognised as a game changer for air combat. Key to this is Meteor’s throttleable ramjet engine, active radar seeker and datalink that combine to provide unmatched endgame speed and manoeuvrability at greatly extended ranges, resulting in its all-important ‘No-Escape Zone’ being several times greater than any other existing or planned BVR weapons. The Indian Air Force is receiving this unrivalled system on its new Rafale aircraft.
MISTRAL
MISTRAL has proven itself a major success story with a 96% success rate in all firings. MBDA will exhibit at DEFEXPO 2018 this very high-performing man portable air defence system (MANPADS) that has already performed exceptionally well in firing evaluation trials for India, more than meeting India’s operational requirements and what was demanded of the missile system in mountain, desert and maritime conditions. As well as the operational advantages of the Mistral missile, there are major industrial advantages being offered if Mistral is selected for India’s VSHORAD requirement, with the missile to be fully manufactured under license in India, under a similar arrangement as for the highly successful production of MILAN in India. As Mistral has already been selected and integrated into the ATAM helicopter launch system for India’s helicopters (namely ALH and LCH), operating Mistral as a MANPADS system will offer major logistics and stock management advantages.
ASRAAM
ASRAAM is being delivered to the IAF as its New Generation Close Combat Missile program. With its large rocket motor, and clean aerodynamic design, ASRAAM has unrivalled speed and resultant aerodynamic manoeuvrability and range. ASRAAM gives it a high kinematic capability that delivers superior end-game performance for within visual range air combat. ASRAAM will arm the IAF’s upgraded Jaguar fleet, and potentially other IAF platforms.
VL MICA
For ground and naval air defence we are exhibiting VL MICA and Sea Ceptor systems, which befitting MBDA’s commonality, adapt and re-use product strategy share many similarities with the air launched MICA and ASRAAM weapon systems already operated by India – something that can provide further logistical advantages to the Indian Armed Forces. Both VL MICA and Sea Ceptor are extremely high-performing air defence systems capable of defeating the most challenging of air threats, and the two systems principally differ in their launch mechanism. VL MICA utilises a traditional ‘hot’ launch, while Sea Ceptor uses a ‘soft’ launch technology that sees the missile ejected vertically into the air before the missile’s rocket motor ignites. Both systems will be displayed on the stands of L&T MBDA Missile Systems Ltd and MBDA.
Other major system to be displayed at the exhibition are:
Adapted from MBDA's Official Press Release