Aero-India 2021: European company MBDA focuses on Make in India

The maker of the Dassualt Aviation’s fighter jet `Rafale’s game-changing weaponry, European company MBDA will be highlighting its entire range of missiles and missile systems. These have been designed to provide the Indian Air Force (IAF) next generation air combat capabilities, like air dominance, strike and maritime engagement. This is the only European company which has the capability of designing and producing missile systems that are in line to provide full range of not only the current but for future operational needs of the three armed forces.

The systems on display have components which have been made in India and L&T MBDA Missile Systems Ltd will be putting up the systems it has offered to the Indian forces and this includes its work on MICA missile launchers for the Rafale fighters which are inducted in the IAF.

The company has been working with the Indian Armed Forces and the industry for 5 decades.

ASRAAM is being delivered to the IAF as its New Generation Close Combat Missile programme.

The revolutionary ramjet powered and network-enabled beyond visual range air-to-air missile METEOR has been recognized as a game changer for air combat. It has a throttle able ramjet engine, active radar seeker and datalink. These provide unmatched end-game speed and maneuverability at greatly extended ranges. And it results in its all-important ‘No-Escape Zone’, which is greater than any other BVR weapons.

For deep strike for a modern air force SCALP is being delivered to the Indian Air Force. This has the capability to deliver precision strikes against high value targets like the well protected military installations, major infrastructures as well as control bunkers/centres.

ASRAAM is being delivered to the IAF as its New Generation Close Combat Missile programme and this has a large rocket motor, and clean aerodynamic design, has unrivalled speed and resultant aerodynamic manoeuvrability and range. This is going to be arming the IAF’s ungraded Jaguar Fleet and other platforms.

MICA, which according to the company statement is the only missile in the world featuring two interoperable seekers (active radar and imaging infrared). These cover the spectrum from close-in dogfight to long beyond visual range and the IAF is going to use for Mirage-2000 upgrade and Rafale jets.

According to the company, on display will be the MMP, which is the only fifth generation anti-tank missile available in the world. This system for the Battlefield engagement has been designed for dismounted infantry as well as for integration on combat vehicles. The technologies in MMP are expected to be further developed by ATGM5 in India and these are for specific requirements of the Indian armed forces.

For the weaponised version of the Advanced Light Helicopter, `Rudra’ which is being manufactured by the state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) MISTRAL ATAM has been delivered. It is based on two launchers and each deploying two MBDA air-to-air Mistral missiles. This system has also undergone a successful integration on the LCH platform of HAL.

For MARITIME SUPERIORITY:

EXOCET which ranks as the world’s best known anti-ship missile and the Indian Navy has received the submarine variant, SM39, 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.

Also, the MM40 variant within the EXOCET family is fit for launch from ships or from coastal batteries.

Sea Ceptor is the next-generation, ship-based, all-weather, air defence weapon system. It has the capability to provide complete protection against all known and projected air targets including saturation attacks across 360° simultaneously. And can intercept and neutralise the full range of current and future threats like the new generation of supersonic anti-ship missiles.

At Aero India 2021, the company is displaying MARTE ER, which is the latest addition to the family. This offers not only the rotary and fixed wing aircraft, but the ships and land based coastal defence systems a significant operational advantage.