At Eurosatory 2016, MBDA is presenting its medium-range land combat missile system MMP integrated on four different combat platforms, thereby demonstrating the exceptional modularity of this missile. Ideally suited for dismounted combat, MMP can also provide the main armament on light vehicles or be incorporated as a complementary armament on the turrets of heavy combat vehicles, reusing the existing electro-optics.
A first embedded configuration consists of the current infantry firing post that can be directly adapted to the upper platform of light vehicles. Thus, close combat units, as well as special forces, can instantly give non-dedicated vehicles an anti-tank capability to operate in theatres requiring mobility and stealth. This configuration is also on show at Eurosatory on a special forces SHERPA vehicle being displayed on the Renault Trucks Defense stand.
MBDA has also launched design studies for a 250 kg motorised turret for light armoured vehicles. A first prototype of this turret – called IMPACT – is being presented on MBDA’s stand mounted on the Dagger, a small armoured vehicle produced by Renault Trucks Defense. IMPACT carries the day/night sensors of the MMP fire control, as well as two ready-to-fire missiles and a 7.62 mm self-protection machine gun and its ammunition. The firing post commands are displayed remotely in the vehicle cab so that the crew remains safe from enemy fire and adverse weather conditions thereby increasing permanency in combat.
In addition, the MPCV turret, currently in series production for several foreign clients in its air defence version armed with four Mistral missiles, is also available in a land combat version reusing the same firing optronics. This version, adapted to medium tonnage vehicles, offers considerable firepower with its four MMPs installed in individual launchers plus four missiles in the hold.
The MMP is also presented integrated in the T40 turret that will equip JAGUAR, the French army’s future Armoured Reconnaissance and Combat Vehicle. On show on the Nexter stand, this two-missile turret configuration demonstrates that the MMP can be easily operated through the fire control on the carrier. These extremely mobile armoured vehicles can therefore be equipped to destroy all types of targets, even the most hardened, at a range of over 4,000 meters, with all the precision and collateral damage prevention qualities that characterise MMP.
MMP is a latest-generation land combat missile fully adapted to modern conflict. It will replace the Milan and Javelin anti-tank missiles of the French Army and the special forces from 2017 onwards as well as HOT in use French cavalry units. It is a “fire-and-forget” missile with a 4,000-meter range, a dual mode seeker (uncooled infrared and visible colour channels) and also a fibre-optic data link making it possible to maintain “man-in-the-loop” control. This capability gives it unmatched accuracy and minimizes the risk of collateral damage. The missile’s multi-purpose military charge (anti-tank, anti-personnel and anti-infrastructure) can defeat targets ranging from heavy tanks with reactive armour to infantry entrenched in an infrastructure.
With a significant presence in five European countries and within the USA, in 2015 MBDA achieved a turnover of € 2.9 billion with an order book of € 15.1 billion. With more than 90 armed forces customers in the world, MBDA is a world leader in missiles and missile systems.
MBDA is owned jointly by Airbus Group (37.5%), BAE Systems (37.5%), and Leonardo-Finmeccanica (25%).
