Paris. 05 March 2024. As MBDA attends the eight edition of DIMDEX (Doha International Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference – Hall 4, stand n. 108), by reaffirming its long-term and consistent commitment to this key event as a Gold Sponsor, the company continues to focus on high tech defence.
MBDA can rely on a long-standing partnership and cooperation with Qatar, where the company has been providing its most advanced missile systems fitted on naval, ground and air platforms and continues to support the Qatar National Vision 2030, with its state of the art and new generation products and systems designed to sustain the Nations security and defence.
With a strong footprint in the MENA region, MBDA continues to equip defence and security forces with the latest and best in class missile systems: from weapon packages on the main air platforms chosen in the Gulf area, as Rafale and Typhoon, up to products and systems for the naval forces, which include Aster family missiles for naval based air defence, as well as the anti-ship Exocet MM40 Block 3 and Marte MK2/N, together with air defence VL MICA missiles.
Innovation and cooperation are fundamental to MBDA’s DNA, and is the basis by which the company approaches new and complex scenarios, where defence and security are an absolute must. MBDA’s attendance at DIMDEX this year is completely aligned with the exhibition’s key theme of “Igniting the Future of Maritime Security and Beyond”, as it provides a great opportunity to display the company’s principal solutions and capabilities, therefore MBDA will be showcasing the wide range of its state of the art and next generation systems to support air, land and naval defence.
The new AKERON MP and MARTE ER are just two out of the most advanced MBDA products being showcased at DIMDEX. The Akeron MP is one of MBDA’s most advanced systems being showcased. It is the only 5th generation combat proven missile in service that has been operationally tested and proven in a variety of extreme and complex environments, where operators also need to be protected during engagements with simplicity of implementation, the capacity to “fire and forget” or engage a target while remaining hidden from sight. Thus, the Akeron MP’s design includes the growth potential necessary for future modern land combat systems. As a light missile, it can also be easily installed on all naval platforms performing high precision against small and fast vessels, and static or fast moving land targets, at all ranges guaranteeing a fast and easy reloading at sea. The Akeron family also includes AKERON LP 5th generation long range multi-role guided missile, with high level technologies in term of optronics, warhead, RF data link, guidance and image processing algorithms based on Artificial Intelligence principles and data fusion.
MARTE ER is already one of the key components of Qatar’s Missile Defence Coastal
Batteries, together with Exocet MM40 Block 3. The Country was able to rely on the Missile Coastal Defence system during the recent Football World Cup in 2022, with MBDA having
completed major deliveries to ensure operational readiness in time for the event, enabling Qatar Armed Forces to secure and supplement its air defence capability. Marte ER was also chosen to equip the multi-role NH90 helicopters (namely, the naval NFH -NATO Frigate Helicopter) for the Qatari Air Force. This multi-platform missile would be an ideal choice to equip the future Fast Attack Craft, as it is a highly flexible system, from ground to air and naval platforms. Marte ER and Exocet MM40 Block 3, together with VL Mica and Aster B1 are proudly on display on the Qatar Emiri Naval Forces booth at DIMDEX this year.
MBDA’s new generation of air defence technologies developed to protect ground and naval assets, are represented on the main stand by Aster B1 NT. With its increased target acquisition range and being capable to cope with tactical ballistic missiles to guarantee an increased footprint of defended areas, the missile will soon be supporting the new SAMP/T batteries for the Italian and French Armed Forces. Together with this missile representing a solution for top layer air defence, MBDA is also showcasing Mistral 3, as part of the range of capabilities and technologies able to respond to all layers of air defence from the very short to long range in the MBDA portfolio.
To secure protection from modern UAV attacks MBDA is promoting its Sky Warden solution as the most advanced technological answer. The system is able to manage the full C-UAS kill chain from detection to neutralisation. Designed to operate both as an integrated component in a layered air defence architecture, or in a standalone configuration. Sky Warden is a modular, scalable and evolvable system able to match specific complex operational scenarios.
Meteor and Storm Shadow are just two of the products on show for air superiority, both are also showcased at the Qatar Emiri Air Force booth. The first being a cornerstone of MBDA cooperation, and will keep on evolving next generation air-to-air combat as it is already integrated onto the most modern combat aircraft, including Eurofighter, Rafale and Gripen and it is currently undergoing integration onto the F-35 fighter.
Building on the long-lasting relationship with Qatar, MBDA is fully committed to provide the Country with its best in class and new generation products and systems, which will be on display at DIMDEX 2024.
