MBDA has received a contract from Germany to manufacture and supply Brimstone 3 precision strike missiles for the Luftwaffe’s Eurofighter combat aircraft fleet, the company announced on 5 July 2024.
According to local reports Germany’s parliament approved the acquisition of 3,266 Brimstone 3 air-to-surface missiles for the Luftwaffe’s Eurofighter fleet, with the first batch of 378 missiles costing EUR 376 million.
A final assembly line and a service centre for Brimstone missiles will be set up at MBDA’s Schrobenhausen site in southern Germany for this purpose.
It is understood that the Luftwaffe will receive its first batch of Brimstone 3s in 2028.
“The procurement of Brimstone 3 by Germany is a decisive contribution to the harmonisation of armaments in Europe and the Bundeswehr’s ammunition stockpile, Eric Béranger, CEO of MBDA, was quoted as saying in a company press release. “The new production line is the first of its kind outside the UK and demonstrates the value of the MBDA co-operation model in ensuring the sovereign supply of critical European defence capabilities.”
The Brimstone 3 is a tactical precision strike missile characterised by very high levels of combat-proven accuracy, effectiveness and reliability. Brimstone 3 enables its users to hit stationary and fast-moving targets with pinpoint accuracy in all weathers, according to MBDA.
As well as already being selected to arm Royal Air Force (RAF) and Spanish Air Force Typhoons, the Brimstone 3 is also being integrated onto unmanned aerial vehicles such as the Eurodrone and the RAF’s MQ-9B Protector. It is additionally a suitable weapon option for land vehicles, helicopters and heavy remote carriers.
