Four years after launching its self-funded development of MPCV (Multi Purpose Combat Vehicle), MBDA has signed a contract with an export customer, for whom MBDA will be integrating this air defence system’s turrets, missile launchers and firing controls onto the high mobility armoured vehicles chosen by the military user.
The new MPCVs will be integrated within the customer’s existing air defence architecture which is based on already in-service systems deploying MBDA’s Mistral missile. MPCV will add a number of inherent qualities such as its fire power, reactivity, its protection of personnel as well as its operational coverage.
Final qualification of the MPCV system was pronounced in 2010 after a series of test firings. These tests culminated with a firing demonstration against a number of targets representing a saturating air attack. Various overseas delegations witnessed this demonstration which took place at the DGA’s (France's Direction Générale de l’Armement) missile test firing centre at Biscarosse in the Landes region of France. The first series production MPCV vehicle should be delivered as of 2013.
Commenting on this latest export success, Antoine Bouvier, Chief Executive Officer of MBDA said: "The MPCV programme illustrates how MBDA can optimise the investments already made by its customers. Starting from the base of a market standard such as Mistral missile of which some 17,000 have already been produced, we have devised an easy to use and highly automated system which significantly increases the capabilities of the missiles already in service with our customers".
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