MBDA showed strong resilience in 2020 despite the global pandemic. Revenues were at €3.6 billion in 2020, with a 50:50 split across domestic and export customers. Order intake during 2020 was €3.3 billion, with MBDA’s order backlog now standing at €16.6 billion. Major new business won during 2020 included; a production order for the SPEAR missile for the Royal Air Force and an upgrade for the Brimstone 3 missile; Aster mid-life refurbishment for France and the commissioning of the development of the new MHT combat missile for the Tiger helicopter; Italy winning a contract for the new Teseo MK2/E anti-ship missile; and the contract (with Rheinmetall as co-contractor) for a new high-energy laser demonstrator for German Navy. Major export orders included a naval weapons package for a foreign undisclosed customer and a naval weapons package for Senegal. To answer the future needs of its customers’ armed forces, MBDA is extensively investing in new types of innovative effects (Directed Energy Weapons, Counter-measures, etc.), technologies (Artificial Intelligence, target identification, hypersonic, etc.), and associated techniques (combination of effects, collaboration, swarming, packs, fast targeting, complex mission planning, navigation in a contested environment, etc.), to develop a new generation of offensive and deceptive weapons and effectors. 2021 will be a decisive year for several key future defence capabilities in Europe. The SAMP/T NG contract awarded by OCCAR on 19 March will give France and Italy an enhanced capability to guarantee their airspace sovereignty, and protect their population, territory and troops-onoperations against new emerging threats. France and the United Kingdom shall take further steps in their cooperation under the Lancaster House Treaty framework by launching the assessment phase for the FC/ ASW programme, and will continue to strengthen their technological base for generation-after-next missile systems by renewing their commitment to the Complex Weapon Innovation & Technological Partnership (CW-ITP). MBDA will continue to invest in cooperation for the endo-atmospheric interceptor that could be the backbone of the wider TWISTER (Timely Warning Interceptor with Space-based TheatER surveillance) programme launched under the EU PESCO framework, to provide a European contribution to NATO Ballistic-Missile Defence (BMD). As member of two partnerships producing next generation Future Combat Air Systems (Tempest/SCAF), MBDA will continue to mature capable, affordable, upgradeable, connected and cooperative effectors for future air dominance.
Sea Ceptor ordered for Canadian surface combatant
MBDA has been awarded a contract by Lockheed Martin Canada to equip the Royal Canadian Navy’s new Canadian Surface Combatant (CSC) with the Sea Ceptor air defence weapon system. Utilising the Common Anti-air Modular Missile (CAMM) as its effector, Sea Ceptor will undertake the Close-In Air Defence System (CIADS) role on-board the new CSC frigates. Sea Ceptor provides self-defence performance, with a rapid response time and a high rate of fire to defeat multiple threats simultaneously. Its state-of-the-art Soft Vertical Launch (SVL) technology enables full 360° coverage with close range performance normally only associated with trainable launcher systems. Sea Ceptor will be integrated with Lockheed Martin Canada’s Combat Management System 330 (CMS 330) as part of a multi-tier air defence capability. The CAMM missiles will be quad packed in Lockheed Martin’s Extensible Launcher System (ExLS), which is part of the Mk41 family of vertical launcher systems.
CAMM-ER successfully completes major milestone
MBDA has suc ces s ful ly completed a firing of the CAMM-ER air defence missile against a manoeuvring target, confirming the excellent capability of the CAMM family system. The trial took place at an Italian firing range. CAMM-ER is the extended range member of the new-generation CAMM air defence family of systems. All members of the CAMM family share the same cutting-edge active radar seeker and soft-launch system, with CAMM-ER featuring a larger rocket motor designed by AVIO to provide extended range out beyond 40 km. CAMM-ER was designed to replace the Aspide munition in the Medium Advanced Air Defence System (MAADS) of the Italian Air Force and the GRIFO air defence system of the Italian Army. CAMMER is the missile that will be used in the Albatros NG system, which provides an optimised naval based air defence (NBAD) solution to enhance the defence capabilities of naval fleets.
Sea Ceptor ordered by the Brazilian Navy
MBDA has been awarded a contract to equip the Brazilian Navy’s new Tamandaré-class frigates with the Sea Ceptor air defence missile system. Sea Ceptor is a smart weapon control system (WCS) that together with the fully-active Common Anti-air Modular Missile (CAMM) provides comprehensive self-defence and local area air defence (LAAD). This will enable Brazil’s Tamandaréclass frigates to protect themselves, consorts and fixed infrastructure against the full range of threat types at sea or in harbour, and in the most stressing operational scenarios.
CAMM air defence capability for RN Type 45 destroyers
MBDA has been awarded a number of contracts to significantly upgrade the air and missile defence capabilities of the Royal Navy’s six Type 45 destroyers. The work will see CAMM (Common Anti-air Modular Missile) paired with an upgraded Sea Viper command and control (C2) system for the first time. CAMM offers both close-in and local-area air defence, and will complement Aster 30, strengthening the anti-air defence capability of the Royal Navy. Fitting CAMM onto the Type 45s will give the destroyers a 50% increase in the number of its air defence missiles. Installation will be via 24 additional launcher cells, and the Sea Viper C2 will get a technology upgrade, giving it a major increase in processing power. The existing 48 Sylver cells on the Type 45 will now be solely for the longer-range Aster 30 missile, which is also subject to a recently announced mid-life refresh. This will see the missile remain in service throughout the life of the Type 45s. In service on upgraded Royal Navy Type 23 frigates, CAMM will also be fitted to Type 26 and Type 31 in the future. The CAMM family has proven a rapid success with international customers, with Canada and Brazil among the new users ordering the missile this year.