Page 9 - ADT MARCH 2023 Latest Magazine | GBP

the Gabriel V for its Pojhanmaa-class corvette.
In collaboration with Thales, IAI is also work-
ing on the Sea Serpent anti-ship missile. The
Surface-to-Surface missile, which is being
developed as a contender for the Royal Navy’s
surface-to-surface guided weapon (SSGW)
programme, has a range well in excess of 200
kilometers. The missile has an RF seeker head
and a sophisticated data analysis and weapon
control system to provide precise target detec-
tion, discrimination, and classification. Capable
of overcoming both kinetic counter-fire and
sophisticated electronic countermeasures, the
missile will locate and attack its target in littoral,
open-ocean, and overland environments.

FC/ASW Programme
Meanwhile, missile manufacturer MBDA is
making progress on the Future Cruise/Anti- © Kongsberg
Ship Weapon (FC/ASW) programme, which aims
replace the air launched Scalp/Storm Shadow A-100MB frigates that will be commissioned between 2025 and 2028.
as well as the air and ship launched Exocet and
Harpoon anti-ship missiles in service with French
and British air forces and navies. In 2019, MBDA Pakistan company GIDS has developed Harbah, a new anti-ship
and its partner companies in the two compa- cruise missile that had its international debut at the DIMDEX exhi-
nies moved past the “Key Review” phase of the bition in Doha, Qatar, last year. The medium range ship launched
programme. The programme intends to deliver subsonic cruise missile system, which was developed for the Pakistan
a weapon that will be operational by 2028. Navy, is capable of targeting sea as well as land targets at a maxi-
mum range of 280 kilometers. The missile features a DSMAC camera,
In December last year, MBDA commenced deliv- imaging infrared seeker, and radar seeker. The service intends to use
eries of the first Exocet MM40 Block 3c anti-ship the missile on Pakistan’s future PN MILGEM corvettes.
missiles to the French Navy. The delivery of the
missiles had been delayed since 2021. The ser- Success for BrahMos
vice has ordered 55 missiles, with deliveries
expected to be completed by the end of 2023. In January 2022, the Philippines signed a contract with BrahMos
Aerospace for three batteries of Brahmos anti-ship missiles. The
shore-based medium-range supersonic missile. BrahMos is guided
New Names by an active radar homing system or by satellite and has an inertial
The market is also seeing the entry of new play- navigation system for midcourse guidance. It carries a 200-kilogram
ers. At the recent LAAD 23 event in Brazil, the (440-pound) warhead. The export variant of the missile, which has
UAE’s Edge Group signed an agreement with a range of 290 kilometers, touches speeds close to Mach 4 as it is
the Brazilian Navy for the joint development of propelled by a solid-fuel first booster stage and a liquid-fuel ramjet
long-range anti-ship missiles and a supersonic second stage. The Indonesian Navy (TNI AL) is also interested in
missile. While the Brazilian Navy will provide its acquiring the missile; company officials expect to close a US$200
portfolio of missiles and its fleet for testing pur- million deal before the end of the year. In February last year, local
poses, EDGE will bring to the table electronic media reported that TNI AL is planning to procure fast missile boats
warfare and smart weapons solutions. The com- armed with NSM.
panies intend to pursue export opportunities for
their products in the light of the growing global The supersonic BrahMos remains the Indian Navy’s primary anti-ship
demand for such missiles. Brazil is also devel- missile, but the service is readying to introduce the DRDO-developed
oping the MANSUP (Míssil Antinavio Nacional de Naval Anti-Ship Missile (NASM), which is smaller and slower than
Superfície) surface-to-surface anti-ship missile BrahMos but still capable of sinking patrol boats and damaging
that will replace the Navy’s MBDA Exocet MM40 larger warships. The NASM, the country’s first indigenously devel-
Block 1. According to the Navy Materiel General- oped anti-ship missile, is expected to enter service well before the
Directorate (DGMM), the anti-ship missile, next decade. The proposed missile, which will be launched from
which is designed as a sea-skimming, ship- helicopters, will have a weight of 380kg and a range of up to 55km.
borne surface-to-surface missile, is expected The sea-skimming missile, which will carry a 100 kg warhead, is
to be operational in 2025. The MANSUP will expected to travel at a speed of 0.8 Mach and would have an
be deployed on the Tamandaré-class MEKO imaging infra-red seeker.
ASIAN DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY APRIL-MAY 2023 | 9