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use in urban, extra-urban and forest environ-
ments. This remotely-operated missile with its MBDA Moves Ahead
beyond-line-of-sight strike capabilities, when
ready for production will join MBDA’s portfolio of MBDA continues to make progress with its flagship solution to
battlefield effectors, which include the AKERON counter unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS) – the Sky Warden
MP and LP. The first demonstrations are planned modular scalable system designed to integrate and control
to take place towards the end of this year. multiple sensors and effectors. Sky Warden can address all
threats from small aircraft to very small drones, of which have
seen growing use of recently in conflicts in Europe and else-
In June, AID announced that an MBDA led con- where.
sortium and another by Nexter Arrowtech, EOS
Technologie and TRAAK had been selected for MBDA also launched the next phase launched of the Future
the LARINAE project. The MBDA proposal seeks Cruise/Anti-Ship Weapon (FC/ASW) between France and the
to develop a drone with deployable wings, United Kingdom in 2022. The FC/ASW is presently at the risk-re-
weighing around ten kg. Nexter, EOS and TRAAK moval phase and arose from France and the UK’s shared need
are eyeing a surveillance drone (approx 10 kg for a long-range anti-ship capability for use on the high seas,
in weight) with vertical take-off and landing with an ability to engage hard targets deep in the enemy’s
capabilities and able to undertake sustained defence system. In June, this year, the United Kingdom, Italy
surveillance of up to three hours. It will be able and France jointly signed a Letter of Intent on the FC/ASW
to operate without necessarily having a GPS programme, which extended the Franco-British cooperation
signal. to include Italy as a partner.

Both consortiums will work on the development The goal for each of the three countries is to have an opera-
of a remotely controlled ammunition with an tional deep-strike capability by 2030. The Franco-British FC/
operational endurance of 60 minutes, capable ASW programme aims to replace the SCALP/Storm Shadow
of neutralising a hardened target within a radius air-launched cruise missiles, in service in the French and British
of fifty kilometres. The first demonstrations are air forces, as well as the heavy airborne and surface anti-ship
expected to take place by end 2024. The DGA missiles Exocet in France and Harpoon in the UK. The concept
and AID have also asked that developmental phase, costing in the order of €100 million, is being funded in
partners take into account the recurring cost equal shares by France and the UK; it is also equally shared in
as a major cost in the development, with the terms of workload between MBDA France and MBDA UK.
final solution to have an overall cost of use
lower than the armaments currently used by Future air combat remains a key priority for MBDA, which is
the French military. involved in the two major programmes: Germany, France and
Spain continued to advance on the Future Combat Air System
(FCAS) project for which MBDA is responsible for new Remote
MBDA is proposing its MUTANT concept, which is Carrier effectors and brings its expertise on connected collab-
based on a “Minimum Viable Product” approach orative combat; and with the Global Combat Air Programme,
and focused on user requirements. This new backed by the UK, Italy and Japan, for which MBDA is the
propelled and guided munition will be highly effects domain leader.
effective in neutralising armoured and mobile
targets and will benefit from MBDA technolo-
gies already developed related to the AKERON
family. The MUTANT concept will also takes
advantage of the latest technological advances
in the field of civil and military UAVs to produce a
munition with the best cost/performance ratio.

The Nexter proposal involves a UAV system
manufactured by EOS Technologie, a core-gen-
erating charge (CGN) produced by Nexter, and
a GPS denied navigation system from TRAAK
that makes it immune to jamming. This kind of
remotely operated munition is not in service with
the French military at present. This remote- Lieutenant General Luciano Portolano, Secretary General of Defence
ly-operated ammunition will have a range of and National Armaments Director for Italy, Andy Start, UK National
at least 80km and an autonomy of 3 hours. Armament Director and CEO of DE&S, and Emmanuel Chiva Chief
executive of the Direction générale de l’armement, during the Paris
Air Show.
The use of innovative core-generating charge
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