At the LAAD trade show, which takes place April 11-14, 2023 in Rio de Janeiro, MBDA will showcase the company’s distinctive ability to provide cutting-edge technology solutions in the area of guided weapons for the Armed Forces (air, naval, land).
Highlights will include the display of the CAMM missile family, already contracted by the Brazilian Navy and several other customers, and which is fully compliant with the Joint Operational Requirements (ROC) foreseen for the Medium Altitude/Altitude Air Defense of the Brazilian Armed Forces in its CAMM-ER version.
Its integration into the Tamandaré class frigates, currently being implemented in partnership with local industry, will provide Brazil with the most advanced Naval Air Defense System in the market. In the air domain, of course, the highlight will be MBDA’s METEOR Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM), which is unmatched as a long-range air dominance weapon.
AIR DOMINANCE
The METEOR is MBDA’s revolutionary ramjet-propelled, network-enabled Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air missile that is widely recognized as a game changer for air combat. Key to this is the METEOR’s adjustable ramjet engine, active radar seeker and datalink that combine to provide unmatched final speed and maneuverability at very extended ranges, resulting in its all-important ‘No-Escape Zone’ being several times superior to any other existing or planned BVR weapons. METEOR is integrated into fighter aircraft including Gripen, Eurofighter, Typhoon and Rafale and is being integrated into the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter and KF-21.
ANTI-AIR DEFENSE
CAMM and CAMM-ER are MBDA’s latest addition to its catalog of anti-aircraft defense systems for naval and land applications. The naval system is known as SEA CEPTOR and was chosen as the anti-aircraft defense system to protect the Brazilian Navy’s new Tamandaré-class frigates.
The CAMM family provides the latest anti-air defense technologies, including a highly advanced digital RF seeker, two-way datalink and soft vertical launch, and are built specifically for anti-air defense.
The system is capable of countering all modern threats, including swarms and small radar straight section targets in all weather conditions, from multiple directions, and in electronic countermeasure environments. CAMM and CAMM-ER share the same advanced electronics (the seeker, datalink, etc.), with the main difference being their rocket motors, which are optimized for engagement at different ranges within a layered anti-aircraft defense system.
The CAMM is optimized for engagements at ranges up to 25 km, including emerging late threats at short range, while the CAMM-ER has a larger rocket motor that is optimized for long-range engagements beyond 40 km.
The MISTRAL has proven to be a great success story with a 96% hit rate on all its conducted firings. This highly versatile Infrared missile can be deployed as a portable anti-air defense system (MISTRAL MANPADS) or from various land- and ship-based launch systems, such as the SIMBAD RC system for naval anti-air defense.
The VL MICA NG is the next generation MICA anti-aircraft defense weapon system, offering excellent self-defense and local area defense capability for a wide range of surface combat ships and for land-based applications.
The VL MICA NG is available with two state-of-the-art seekers (IR or RF) and a new dual pulse rocket motor that offers extended range capability up to 40 km. It can face the most severe electronic and infrared countermeasure scenarios with a very high hit probability.
MARITIME SUPERIORITY
The EXOCET probably ranks as the best known anti-ship missile in the world. The Exocet features low radar signature, shallow flight over the sea, delayed search activation, enhanced target discrimination and electronic countermeasures (ECCM), functions that combined make this weapon truly fearsome.
The Exocet is offered in three variants: the submarine-launched SM39, the air-launched AM39, and the surface-launched MM40. The latest version of the Exocet is the MM40 Block 3 variant within the EXOCET family, a weapon with a range rated at over 200 km, suitable for launching from ships or coastal batteries. Already in service, this state-of-the-art EXOCET features 3D waypoints, a low-altitude flight profile over the sea, and the ability to strike coastal land targets as well as ships.
BATTLEFIELD ENGAGEMENT
AKERON MP and AKERON LP are the world’s only fifth generation land combat missiles designed for light infantry as well as for integration into combat vehicles and aircraft. With a range of over 4 km, the Akeron MP has a programmable warhead capable of neutralizing all targets, from the best protected armored vehicles to groups of individuals and structures. This network-enabled missile allows fire-and-forget mode firing, with only one operator having the ability to operate over the “loop”, allowing the Akeron MP to be redirected quickly and easily
in flight to the target refinement point or lock-on capabilities after launch. The Akeron LP includes the same features as the Akeron MP, but with the addition of a semi-active laser guidance mode (SAL) and extended range to reach targets up to 20 km away.
The ENFORCER is a lightweight missile system that enables effective engagement of a wide range of targets, including light armored, static and mobile targets, and threats behind cover. MBDA has partnered with Brazilian company Xmobots to integrate the Enforcer with the Brazilian Nauru 1000C unmanned aerial vehicle. Together, the Enforcer and Nauru 1000C provide a powerful capability to engage a wide range of targets from safe distances, rather than relying on free-fall weapons that risk the safety of the drone and have difficulty hitting moving targets.