France clears MMP missile for desert operations
The French Army has carried out operational evaluation of the MMP land combat missile system in Djibouti, to assess the weapon’s suitability for use in semi-desert conditions.
The tests, carried out with the French DGA and MBDA, saw nine firings of the missile, with all reaching their target. The results confirm the reliability of the weapon system in hot environments as well as its performance in operational firing scenarios, clearing the MMP for deployment as part of Operation Barkhane in the coming weeks.
Djibouti offers a training enviornment where climatic conditions are similar to those encountered in the current zones of engagement in the Sahel-Saharan belt.
The French Navy has also carried out firings of the MMP from the ECUME rigid-hulled inflatable boat. The first firing was from the sea on a land target and the second was from the sea on a sea target. According to MBDA, MMP is the first weapon system of this class capable of being implemented on the ECUME vessels.
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