The United Arab Emirates (UAE) awarded Europe’s MBDA a contract to supply the UAE Navy with additional Marte MK2/N anti-ship missiles, the company said Monday.
The Marte MK2/N anti-ship missile is derived from the company’s Marte MK2/S helicopter-launched anti-ship weapon system and has a range of over 18.6 miles, is an all-weather sea skimming missile, and has inertial mid-course navigation through way points and active radar terminal homing.
This contract is a follow-on to an earlier contract signed in Feb. 2009 to supply Marte missiles. Each of the UAE high-speed multi-role combat vessels will be equipped with four box launchers for MBDA Marte Mk2/N guided missiles.
“This new contract reaffirms MBDA pre-eminence in the anti-ship sector and it is a clear proof of the technology leadership of the Marte missile family that, over the years, has continued to be competitive and able to respond to increasing customer requirements, thanks to its modular design,” Pasquale Di Bartolomeo, MBDA executive group director of strategy and managing director of MBDA Italia, said in a statement.
“I am delighted that the UAE has confirmed the trust placed in MBDA for its defence requirements. MBDA is one of the country’s leading defence suppliers and will continue to show our long-standing commitment and support for the UAE Armed Forces,” Antoine Bouvier, CEO of MBDA, said in a statement.