The French missile firm MBDA, which has a longstanding presence in Indonesia and the region, placing a key emphasis on naval systems as one of its areas of focus at the ongoing Indo Defence. This primarily includes members of the Exocet missile family, the submarine-launched SM39 Exocet and the surface-launched MM40 Exocet. 2024 also saw a historic first for the Indonesian Navy when it successfully test-fired an Exocet MM40 Block 3 missile in coastal-attack mode. MBDA produced the 4,000th Exocet anti-ship missile from its factories in France last year.
“MBDA is also engaged in future projects with PT LEN and PT PAL for modernizing the Dipenogoro-class (Exocet & Simbad RC) and Bung Tomo-class (Exocet & VL MICA NG) and is always strengthening its local industrial footprint,” a company official told GBP Daily News. He added that providing localised, engineering, maintenance and services with maximum operational availability, will accelerate responsiveness to end-user requirements and strengthen proximity with the Indonesian Forces. This also aligns with the Indonesian government’s long-term Made-in-Indonesia strategy. All three services of the Tentara Nasional Indonesia rely upon MBDA-designed missile systems to meet their critical operational needs. “MBDA is always looking for further partnerships with Indonesia, both from a capability provision perspective and in terms of industrial cooperation,” the official emphasised.
