The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has ordered a significant number of Lightweight Multirole Missiles (LMM) from Thales UK, the ministry announced on 24 July 2024.
The order is worth GBP 176 million (EUR 208.6 million) and will equip current and future short-range air defence capabilities for the British Army, such as Stormer close air defence vehicles, and be fired by the Royal Navy’s Martlet maritime anti-surface missile system deployed from Wildcat helicopters.
Weighing only 13 kg each, LMMs provide a precision solution against threats such as unmanned aerial vehicles, helicopters, other aircraft, and small, fast maritime targets.
The contract, placed by the MoD’s Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) organisation, will also support 135 jobs at Thales’ site in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and promote economic growth through small and medium enterprises and the local supply chain, the MoD noted in a press release.
Hundreds of LMMs have also been gifted to Ukraine to assist the Ukrainian armed forces in repelling the illegal February 2022 invasion of the country.
