MBDA has signed a contract with Romania’s IAR Brasov to support the integration of the Marte ER anti-ship missile onto a maritime rotary-wing platform for the Romanian Naval Forces based on the Airbus H215M helicopter, the European missile house announced on 23 May 2024.
MBDA will work in partnership with IAR Brasov and Airbus as well as with other partners involved to achieve full integration of the Marte ER at the mission system level. The contract marks a major step in co-operation between MBDA and the Romanian armed forces.
Airbus and IAR Brasov have an agreement under which IAR Brasov, which has a history of producing French-designed helicopters under licence, is the prime contractor for any H215M sales to the Romanian armed forces.
The Marte ER represents the latest generation of the Marte anti-ship missile family. It is designed to operate in all weather conditions and to deliver a highly effective lethal effect at ranges over 100 km. The missile features a highly flexible mission profile, allowing for automatic and manual waypoints, salvo firing and attacks on land co-ordinates. The Marte ER also has specific methods for countering ships’ hard- and soft-kill defences.
Arnaud Rousset, vice president for Europe at MBDA, was quoted as saying in a company press release, “As the European leader in complex weapon systems, MBDA is the best suited to tackle the challenges faced in Europe by reinforcing European decisive defence capabilities. We are proud to contribute to the Romanian armed forces’ strategic autonomy and we will continue to act as a trusted partner by offering a comprehensive portfolio adapted to their current and future needs.”
The contract is a new success for the multi-platform Marte family of missiles, which are already integrated on a number of platforms operated by the Italian armed forces and several export customers.
