Final Qualification Firing For Exocet MM40 Block3

Falstaff

New Member
From http://www.defencetalk.com/news/pub...on_Firing_For_Exocet_MM40_Block3160011859.php

(Source: MBDA; dated May 11, web-posted May 14, 2007)



The final qualification firing of the Exocet MM40 Block3 anti-ship missile was performed successfully at the CELM test centre on the island of Levant in southwest France on Wednesday 25th April.

The firing included a trajectory of the littoral attack type from a distance of more than 160 km.

Right from the booster phase, the firing scenario included substantial off-aiming that had to be compensated. After the booster stage was released, a complex trajectory, flying over and round prohibited areas, was followed during the cruise phase.

In the final phase of the flight, terminal flight adjustment was achieved successfully in order to obtain the desired angle of attack on the littoral target. The designated point was hit with all the precision required.

This test confirms that the operating range could be more than doubled for the new Exocet Block 3 missile, which gives this world-renowned missile not only unrivalled naval superiority, but also a littoral attack capacity that reinforces the operational capabilities of the navies that will use it.

Patrick Tramier, MBDA's Programmes Director, said: "This success confirms the value of the MBDA teams involved in the programme. With this last and successful qualification firing, MBDA has demonstrated its technological value and its capability to manage a major missile programme successfully and within a limited period of time."


With annual sales of over EUR3.3 billion, an order book of over EUR13 billion and over 70 customers around the world, MBDA is the world’s leading missile systems company. Currently, MBDA has 45 operational programmes for missile systems and countermeasures and has proven its leadership in the management of large multinational projects.

MBDA is jointly controlled by BAE Systems (37,5%), EADS (37,5%) and Finmeccanica (25%).

-ends-
I think this will give the Exocet a new boost on the market again. It has been a little outperformed in recent years...
 
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Rich

Member
The exocet has been one of the most successful weapons programs ever. In many ways the Argentine missile hit on HMS Sheffield signaled the beginning of a new era in warfare. An era when small 3'rd world countries will be able to pose a major threat to the worlds major sea powers.

Imagine if Argentina had more exocets?

To this day advanced AshMs imported by small naval powers are a very serious threat to blue water navies. The real acceptance of the threat came home that day in 1982 in the South Atlantic. The USN has been regretfully reminded of the missiles lethality as well.

The exocet program has been hugely successful as a money maker for the French. I always thought that nothings sells weapon like successes in conflicts. In that regard the exocet is proven. I haven't heard much about it in recent exports however.

Does anyone have any info or statistics for recent foreign sales?
 

caksz

New Member
do block 3 had same layout as block 2 . can block 2 convert to block 3 variants? kinda out of question will seawolf vls launch aster missiles and if not
can it be modified to put aster easily without major changes on the vls ? :) ....
 

DoC_FouALieR

New Member
do block 3 had same layout as block 2 . can block 2 convert to block 3 variants? kinda out of question will seawolf vls launch aster missiles and if not
can it be modified to put aster easily without major changes on the vls ? ....
I don't think that block 2 can be converted to block 3 since there is huge differences between the two, first the propulsion system is a turbojet on block 3 which require fuel tanks and air ducts around the missile's body. Second using a turbojet, there is no longer a need for batteries as a power plant. And third, the block 3 uses a new avionics which includes among others a GPS. That makes the internal configuration of the block 3 very different from the block 2.

Concerning Seawolf VLS, Aster are much bigger, so I don't think they will fit into that VLS.
 
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