Aero India 2019: MBDA to offer maritime superiority capabilities for Indian Navy

MBDA, a European developer and manufacturer of missiles, plans to offer next generation air combat capabilities for Indian Navy’s maritime superiority and for Indian Army ‘Battlefield Engagement’.

This European company formed as a joint venture by a merger of the guided missile divisions of Airbus, Leonardo, and BAE Systems is exhibiting at India’s premier air show – Aero India 2019.

According to a senior company official, on display will be MMP. Which is the only fifth generation anti-tank missile available in the world, and it has been designed for dismounted infantry as well as for integration on combat vehicles. MMP is unique in featuring both fire-and-forget and operator-above-the-loop operation, and being network-enabled MMP can also receive third party target designation for indirect firing scenarios. The technologies pioneered in MMP will be further developed by ATGM5 in India for the specific operational requirements of the Indian Armed Forces.

For the Indian Navy, MBDA is offering host of solutions:

EXOCET ::

This probably ranks as the 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). The AM39 version can be launched from Maritime Patrol Aircraft, strike fighters such as the Rafale as well as medium to heavyweight helicopters. Features such as low signature, sea-skimming flight at very low altitudes, late seeker activation, enhanced target discrimination and ECCM combine to make this a redoubtable weapon indeed.

In its Block2 Mod2 latest evolution it is now fully compliant with the latest generation of aircraft platforms. The MM40 Block 3 variant within the EXOCET family is a 200+ km class weapon suitable for launch from ships or from coastal batteries. Already in service, this latest generation EXOCET features 3D waypoints, low sea-skimming flight profile and the ability to strike coastal land targets as well as ships.

Sea Ceptor ::

This is the next-generation, ship-based, all-weather, air defence weapon system. Through the use of new advanced technologies, Sea Ceptor provides complete protection against all known and projected air targets including saturation attacks across 360° simultaneously. Sea Ceptor utilises the CAMM missile that features a next generation all-weather RF-seeker, two-way data-link and soft-vertical launch system to provide a step-change in performance compared with previous generation systems. Sea Ceptor will protect both the host ship and high value units in the local area. The Weapon System has the capability to intercept and thereby neutralise the full range of current and future threats including combat aircraft and the new generation of supersonic anti-ship missiles.

MARTE ::

MARTE is a family of fixed and rotary wing and ship-launched anti-ship missile weapon systems designed to meet operational requirements in complex littoral environments and blue water scenarios. At Aero India 2019, MBDA is displaying MARTE ER, the latest addition to the family.

The high sub-sonic MARTE ER is equipped with a turbo-jet engine giving it a range of well over 120 km, thus enabling it to engage enemy vessels well over the horizon. Other enhancements include an optimized terminal guidance system and 4D waypoints including altitude and time for simultaneous time on target attack. MARTE ER offers rotary and fixed wing aircraft, ships and land based coastal defence systems a significant operational advantage.

NCM (Naval Cruise Missile) ::

This very long-range surface attack stand-off cruise missile is designed to attack deep into enemy territory. Given its range, it will provide navies and surface and sub-surface vessels with the ability to maintain a prolonged dissuasive force in theatre unlike an aircraft launched missile. Drawing on elements of the combat-proven SCALP/Storm Shadow and weighing some 1,400 kg with an overall length of around 6.50m and a diameter of 0.5m, NCM offers destructive power against key infrastructure targets. Maximum precision and minimum collateral damages are assured thanks to the weapon’s guidance system which combines inertial guidance, terrain matching, and GPS with an imaging infrared seeker to achieve metric accuracies in the terminal phase. The missile has already been tested for both surface ship and submarine launch (vertically launched for the former and via the torpedo tubes for the latter with the submarine version housed in a special sea to air transition container). Surface ship operational capability was declared in May 2015 after a series of test firings had been successfully completed.

 thehindubusinessline