MBDA has unveiled its new naval offering based on the 5th generation MMP ground combat missile at the Euronaval exhibit.
MBDA has unveiled its new naval offering based on the 5th generation MMP ground combat missile at the Euronaval exhibit in Le Bourget, near Paris.
The move follows the operational evaluation campaign carried out at the end of the summer by the French armed forces in Djibouti to confirm the reliability and operational performance of the MMP system in a hot environment, both from the ground and also from a rigid hulled inflatable boat (RHIB) moving at high speed.
A total of nine MMP missiles were fired with all reaching their target. Two of these shots — one sea-to-land and one sea-to-sea — were fired by the maritime force of marines and commandos from an ECUME RHIB.
The success of this evaluation clears the way for MBDA to extend the integration perspectives of the MMP system and to propose it on fast attack craft or semi-rigid boats for missions against hostile ships, coastal defenses or armored vehicles, especially in support of a landing of small units or Special Forces.
At Euronaval, the MMP system (firing post and missile) is presented on the Zodiac Milpro booth, installed on a Hurricane type RHIB. On fast patrol boats, the MMP will be fired from a stabilised turret carrying four ready-to-fire ammunitions installed in launchers protecting the missiles from the maritime environment. The turret can be controlled from a dedicated console or from a multifunction console in the ship's operations centre.