• Land Warfare

  France receives first MMP weapon systems

  4th December 2017

  The French armed forces has received the first batch of 50 missiles and 20 firing posts of the medium-range Missile Moyen Portee (MMP) missile, MBDA …

• Defence Notes

  QinetiQ opens new laser research facility

  28th November 2017

  QinetiQ has opened a new facility for the development and testing of advanced laser technology at its headquarters in Farnborough, UK, the company announced on …

• Land Warfare

  MBDA partners with Safran for MMP

  9th November 2017

  MBDA has entered into a global strategic partnership with Safran Electronic and Defense as part of its bid to supply the Missile Moyen Portee (MMP) …

• Military Logistics

  ​Dubai Airshow 2017: Atlas Aerospace expects opportunity from French focus

  12th November 2017

  France’s interest in developing its civil and military markets in the UAE is helping companies like Abu Dhabi-based Atlas Aerospace explore new business opportunities in …

• Digital Battlespace

  Dubai Airshow 2017: Orbital focus the Eliminator in Middle East

  8th November 2017

  The latest version of Orbital ATK’s AC-208 Armed Caravan will take centre stage for the US company at the Dubai Airshow, with the Middle East …

• Naval Warfare

  D&S 2017: Indonesian Navy receives second SIGMA

  31st October 2017

  A second SIGMA 10514-class guided-missile frigate built in Indonesia was handed over to the Indonesian Navy (TNI-AL) on 30 October. Defence Minister Ryamizard Rycacudu and …

• Land Warfare

  MBDA signs new MoUs for Land 400 bid

  5th October 2017

  MBDA has signed new Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with five Australian companies as part of its MMP missile system bid for the LAND 400 Phase …

• Land Warfare

  Pacific 2017: Land 400 missiles slug it out

  4th October 2017

  While Rheinmetall’s Boxer and BAE Systems’ AMV35 8x8 armoured vehicles are duking it out to win a contract from the Australian Army under Project Land …

• Land Warfare

  MBDA, Ferra Engineering sign MoU

  25th September 2017

  MBDA and Ferra Engineering have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in support of Australia's $20 billion LAND 400 programme, the company announced on 20 …

• Naval Warfare

  Marshall to support MBDA missile systems

  15th September 2017

  Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group has received a £13.5 million contract from MBDA to manufacture Common Anti-Air Modular Missile (CAMM) canisters for the Sea Ceptor …

• Land Warfare

  DSEI 2017: Army Land Ceptor configuration unveiled

  18th September 2017

  The British Army’s new air defence system, Land Ceptor, was on display at this year's DSEI exhibition ahead of first deliveries expected in the first …

• Defence Helicopter

  DSEI 2017: Sea Venom firing well on all cylinders

  7th September 2017

  European missile manufacturer MBDA is continuing its Sea Venom anti-ship missile trials and Shephard has learnt that all firings so far have been successful.  The first …

• Defence Notes

  MBDA, Romarm sign MoU

  29th August 2017

  MBDA has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Romanian defence group Romarm and its subsidiary Electromecanica Ploiesti to define and present a proposal for …

• Defence Notes

  Typhoon in Brimstone live firing

  19th July 2017

  MBDA’s Brimstone air-to-surface missile has been fired from a Eurofighter Typhoon for the first time.The integration of the weapon is part of the Phase 3 …

• Land Warfare

  Indian SOEs to upgrade BMP-2 fleet

  26th July 2017

  India is modernising 693 examples of its licence-built BMP-2/2K Sarath infantry fighting vehicle (IFV), with the project valued at around $375 million. The programme, which …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Loitering munitions

  Deluge (First batch) [France]

  Background Unveiling MBDA unveiled a scale model of the One-Way Effector (OWE), later named the Deluge, at the Paris Air Show 2025. As Breaking Defence reported at the ...

• Loitering munitions

  Colibri: Short-range loitering munition (Uncontracted) [France]

  Background Origins French Ministry of Armed Forces spokesperson Hervé Grandjean stated at a press conference in May 2022 that the General Directorate for Armament (DGA) ...

• Loitering munitions

  Deluge (Additional batches) [France]

  Background Unveiling MBDA unveiled a scale model of the One-Way Effector (OWE), later named the Deluge, at the Paris Air Show 2025. As Breaking Defence reported at the ...

• Loitering munitions

  Larinae: Medium-range loitering munition [France]

  Background Origins French Ministry of Armed Forces spokesperson Hervé Grandjean stated at a press conference in May 2022 that the General Directorate for Armament (DGA) ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Remote Carrier (RC) [Germany]

  Programme Background FCAS Project As noted by Airbus, the FCAS project is a tri-nation effort which will be centred around a core Next-Generation Weapon System (NGWS), which ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Remote Carrier (RC) [France]

  Programme Background FCAS Project As noted by Airbus, the FCAS project is a tri-nation effort which will be centred around a core Next-Generation Weapon System ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Remote Carrier (RC) [Spain]

  Programme Background FCAS Project As noted by Airbus, the FCAS project is a tri-nation effort which will be centred around a core Next-Generation Weapon System ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Rafale Follow-On (Egypt)

  Programme Background Egypt was reported to request 12 Rafale fighters following an earlier contract in 2015. However, this deal fell into limbo after the Pentagon blocked ...

• Self-propelled rocket launchers

  Long-Range Ground Strike (FLP-T) [France]

  Background The French Army currently operates the M270 as its only MLRS. France previously procured a total of 55, though this number had reduced to ...

• Loitering munitions

  Colibri: Short-range loitering munition (Contracted) [France]

  Background Origins French Ministry of Armed Forces spokesperson Hervé Grandjean stated at a press conference in May 2022 that the General Directorate for Armament (DGA) ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Rafale [France]

  Programme Background Rafale F4 is the latest configuration of the Rafale fighter jet family. New functions will also be developed to improve the aircraft’s capabilities ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Remote Carrier [French Navy]

  Background Carrier Air Wing Plan The French Navy presented a broad plan for its carrier air wing for the future decades at a briefing at ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Global Combat Air Programme [Italy]

  Programme Background Shephard notes that the Italian, British and Japanese components of GCAP are tracked in separate entries. Programme Timeline 2019: In September 2019, the UK and Italian ...

• Frigates

  Multi-Mission Surface Combatant (MMSC) [Saudi Arabia]

  Programme Background The US State Department approved a possible $11.25 billion Foreign Military Sale to the KSA for MMCS ships and associated equipment, parts and ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Nauru 1000C [Brazil]

  Background Contract award The Logistics Command (COLOG) of the Brazilian Army purchased three Nauru 1000C UAVs, training, 36-month integrated logistics support, two EO/MWIR XSIS 222A gimbals, ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Guided munitions

  SmartGlider Light

  The SmartGlider Light is a precision-guided air-to-ground munition developed by MBDA, designed to enhance the strike capabilities of modern combat aircraft. MBDA anticipates that the ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  VL MICA RF

  The VL MICA missile is derived from the original MICA air-to-air missile developed by MBDA. The VL MICA system's first iteration was developed for naval ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  VL MICA IR

  The VL MICA missile is derived from the original MICA air-to-air missile developed by MBDA. The VL MICA system's first iteration was developed for naval ...

• Loitering munitions

  Akeron RCH 170

  Unveiled in April 2025, the Akeron RCH 170 is a fixed-wing loitering munition from MBDA. Similar in design to the Switchblade 300, the catapult launched system ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  Aster 30

  The ASTER-30 is a vertically launched surface-to-air missile produced by Eurosam, a joint venture between MBDA France, MBDA Italy, and the Thales Group. Its basic ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  CAMM

  The Common Anti-air Modular Missile (CAMM) is a short-range, anti-aircraft and anti-missile surface-to-air missile. Developed to be launched from maritime platforms, land-based platforms and aircraft, ...

• Loitering munitions

  Akeron RCX 50

  Unveiled in April 2025, the Akeron RCX 50 is a rotary-wing loitering munition from MBDA. The NX70 is designed to support infantry units by conducting battlefield ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  SHARCS

  The SHARCS is a flying testbed UAV from MBDA Deutschland, which supports the testing of various sub-systems, including avionics, sensor technology, algorithms, networking, and data links. MBDA ...

• Loitering munitions

  Deluge

  Unveiled at the Paris Air Show 2025, Deluge, formally known as the One-Way Effector (OWE), is a loitering munition and low-cost cruise missile from MBDA. The ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  Italian LDEW (Leonardo/MBDA)

  As announced in December 2024, Leonardo and MBDA are collaborating to produce a Fire Unit Laser Directed Energy Weapon (LDEW) for the Italian Navy. The ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  DragonFire

  DragonFire is a laser weapon system built for the UK MoD and manufactured by a consortium of manufacturers. The primary manufacturer is MBDA, though they ...

• Air: chaff/flare/decoy systems

  SAPHIR-M

  SAPHIR-M is a chaff and flare dispensing system for the Tiger and NH90, and is also offered for other helicopters. It offers a high decoy ...

• Loitering munitions

  Crossbow

  MBDA unveiled Crossbow, a ground-launched One Way Effector Heavy (OWE(H)) at DSEI 2025. Equipped to carry kinetic or non-kinetic payloads up to 300kg, the turbojet-powered OWE(H) ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  MPCV

  The Multi-Purpose Combat Vehicle (MPCV) is a 4x4 armoured vehicle developed by Soframe on the Mercedes-Benz Unimog 5000 truck chassis. Able to accommodate between four ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  German LDEW (Rheinmetall/MBDA)

  Rheinmetall and MBDA Germany's collaborative work on laser-directed energy weapon (LDEW) technology has resulted in a German laser weapon system that is close to being ...