News

2024-12-11

MBDA Showcases Advanced Systems for Naval Warfare

MBDA, a leading European missile systems manufacturer, showcased at Euronaval 2024 an impressive portfolio of sovereign defence solutions designed to ensure maritime superiority with a full range of capabilities.

As naval forces face diverse threats—from UAVs to complex Deep Strike missions— MBDA underscored its expertise in systems for modern naval warfare.

Deep Strike Capabilities

The company highlighted its status as the European provider of a comprehensive suite of sovereign Deep Strike capabilities, continually evolving to address future defence needs.

Among the key displays was the latest addition to the world-renowned Exocet family: the submarine-launched Exocet SM40, unveiled for the first time.

The SM40 features an advanced seeker to perform effectively in challenging electronic warfare environments and boasts double the range of previous models, providing enhanced submarine self-protection.

Also highlighted was the new TESEO Mk2/E multi-mission anti-ship missile, developed to meet the sovereign needs of the Italian Navy. It constitutes a step change for the TESEO family, internationally known as Otomat, delivering an enhanced mission range.

A new dual seeker, at the edge of technology, ensures improved anti-ship missions, adding a high precision land attack mode.

Current events highlight Europe’s need for sovereign Deep Strike capabilities. MBDA’s Future Cruise/Anti-Ship Weapon (FC/ASW) leads this development, ensuring advanced anti-ship and surface strike solutions for decades ahead.

Countering Un-Crewed Threat

Emerging maritime threats are constantly evolving, requiring Navies to deploy varied, often combined, resources to protect their assets. MBDA provides a range of advanced naval-based air defence systems, from counter un-crewed aerial vehicles (C-UAVs) and un-crewed submersible vehicles (C-USVs) to counter-hypersonic threats.

Amid growing demand for naval-based Laser Directed Energy Weapons, the company showcased a broad range of European solutions to meet this requirement.

Multi Layered Air Defence

Navies can rely on MBDA’s expertise for a multi-layered air defence portfolio, with the Mistral, MICA (Missile d’Interception, de Combat et d’Autodéfense), Common Anti-air Modular Missile, and combat-proven Aster missile families showcased at Euronaval.

A new Simbad -RC system – operating the fire-and-forget Mistral 3 missile – was also presented at the exhibition. The system improves the self-defence of naval platforms. It is a sovereign self-defence system able to defeat the full scope of short-range aerial threats, and designed to defend against saturation attacks.

The Aster family was showcased as the cornerstone of European air defence, protecting European skies. The latest evolution, Aster B1 NT, developed through French-Italian cooperation, marked a milestone with a successful firing in late October. This family counteracts advanced threats, providing Europe with robust hypersonic defence capabilities.

Battle-Ready Sea Warden

Sea Warden, presented at the show, is a naval-based defence system against uncrewed aerial and surface threats. It is a modular system designed to counter all UAV and uncrewed submersible vehicle threats, integrating and controlling a wide range of sensors and effectors.

Sea Warden responds to the growing need for self-protection of merchant vessels and warships.

The maritime domain is crucial to the global economy, requiring naval forces to address a range of threats, from uncrewed aircraft to anti-ship systems. As emerging threats evolve, Navies must deploy varied resources, often in combination, to protect assets. To stay agile, MBDA developed a scalable system that evolves with the drone threat, meeting changing demands and ensuring battle readiness.

Sea Warden can operate in all modern scenarios, from self-protection of ships at anchor or docked to maritime consort protection in open oceans. By leveraging its modular design, it is a comprehensive defence system ranging from detection to neutralisation of UAVs and USVs up to class 2.

The system is designed to identify and classify threats with a complete set of sensors (radar, passive RF, electro-optical cameras, etc.) and assign the most appropriate and available effector, maximising the efficiency.

It integrates effectors such as the Cilas Helma-P laser directed energy weapon, hunter drones, jammers, and MBDA systems, including a Hit-to-Kill drone in collaboration with Novadem, loitering munitions, and the Mistral 3 and Akeron MP missiles, to counter the most demanding aerial and surface threats.

It can be integrated into ships’ combat systems, or operate as a standalone capability with a dedicated console. It adapts to any naval, maritime, or offshore platform to defeat aerial or surface uncrewed threats.

Comments () Views (4778 ) Print

Send To Friend