MBDA, a leading European developer and manufacturer of missiles, has been awarded a contract by the UAE Navy to supply additional Marte MK2/N anti-ship missiles.

UK-based MBDA was formed in 2011 through a merger of French Aérospatiale-Matra Missiles, Italian Alenia Marconi Systems and British Matra BAe Dynamics. A major global player, it works with over 90 armed forces worldwide.

The UAE project win is a follow on to the initial contract signed in February 2009 for the supply of Marte missiles, said a top official from the company.

"I am delighted that the UAE has confirmed the trust placed in us for its defence requirements," remarked Antoine Bouvier, the chief executive of MBDA.
 
"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," he stated.

Available with a variety of launcher configurations, Marte MK 2/N are able to strike targets at ranges in excess of 30 km, flying a fire-and-forget sea-skimming profile using mid-course inertial guidance and active radar homing, explained Bouvier.

Pasquale Di Bartolomeo, MBDA’s executive group director strategy and managing director of MBDA Italia, said this new contract win reaffirms MBDA's pre-eminence in the anti-ship sector.

"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," he added.-TradeArabia News Service