Page 19 - ADT MAY-JUNE 2022 Online Magazine

commenced two years after development of the MICA NG air-to-air system that can operate various missiles at [ MISSILE SYSTEMS ]
missile. It will be able to intercept ‘conventional’ targets (aircraft, various ranges. This allows the customer to
helicopters, cruise missiles and anti-ship missiles) at longer dis- optimise its coastal defence accordingly with
tances. According to MBDA, the VL MICA NG system will offer the geography of its maritime approaches.
improved capabilities to handle atypical targets such as UAVs and The MCDS can operate Marte MK2/N (30 km
small aircraft as well as future threats characterised by increasingly class), Marte ER (100 km class) and/or Exocet
low observable infrared and radio frequency signatures. MM40 Block 3 (200 km class). The Exocet
MM40 B3 is the latest version of the Exocet
The MICA NG missile will be available from 2026 onwards and family of AShMs with a longer range and new
represents a step change in thinking as compared to the cur- seeker.
rent version of MICA missile. The new missile will feature a new
dual pulse motor allows an efficient range of 40 km in surface- Marte ER represents the third generation of the
to-air firings. The missiles’ two different seekers, feature entirely Marte family of anti-ship missiles and is touted
new technologies (an Imaging IR seeker based on a focal plan as a multiplatform missile family. Thanks to its
array and an Active Electronically Scanned Antenna RF seeker). medium weight and size class, the Marte ER is
Despite these changes, the MICA NG will have the same mechan- considered as optimal against medium range
ical characteristics and remain fully compatible with existing MICA threats. The Marte ER version is derived from
missile launchers. MBDA is now also offering the SIMBAD RC the Marte MK2/S and has been designed to be
system, which is based on the latest generation of the popular used on fast jets and the new generation, naval
MISTRAL missile. A short-range, anti-air and anti-surface self-de- versions of the European NFH90 and AW101
fence system, SIMBAD-RC is particularly efficient against small helicopters but can also be integrated on ships
tactical UAVs. SIMBAD-RC is designed to provide an autonomous and coastal batteries. Integration of Marte ER
self-defence capability on all kind of warships, or to complement the on the Eurofighter Typhoon provides new anti-
main air defences of first rank warships. Up to four fire-and-forget ship capability to the aircraft. The Marte ER
MISTRAL missiles are carried aboard a single launcher. receives a new turbojet engine dramatically
increasing the missile’s effective range and its
latest successful firing took place at the end of
Coastal Defence 2021. The launch represented a key milestone
MBDA is also developing a new generation of coastal batteries in its validation process.
under the MCDS (Missile Coastal Defence System) programme for
export customers. MBDA itself has a significant portfolio of anti- Despite these changes, the Marte ER has the
ship missiles and as a result, the MCDS offers a particularly flexible same interfaces, and logistic support doctrine
as the Marte MK2/S. This means no platform
hardware changes are required for aircraft
which are already qualified for the Marte family,
such as NFH90 and AW101. Software changes
will be required only to the Store Management
System to deal with the extended ranges, now
possible. With this same software, the helicop-
ter will be able to deploy both Marte MK2/S
and Marte ER. To maintain commonality even
further, the same logistics support (handling
and maintenance) still applies.

ASIAN DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY May/June 2022 | 19