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Preparing Future Products and Systems

PREPARING TOMORROW’s PRODUCT

What will the product or the product system of the future be like? This is a question MBDA daily tries to answer. Engaging with customers about their needs in future conflicts and – developing products and systems to address those – cannot be far behind. Having a vision of what the future be like is a common objective within MBDA. Thanks to Concept Visions, we are going beyond imagination, fostering a mindset and creating an operational context.  Future products innovation are taken into account at each steps of our business model.

“We regularly speak of the need to innovate in order to address the restraints of budget austerity, a challenging market and aggressive competition. However, ultimately MBDA must innovate to make a difference”.
Éric Béranger, Chief Executive Officer

Concept Vision PERSEUS

CONCEPT VISIONS

MBDA’s continued commitment and desire to explore and forecast tomorrow’s weapon systems has led to develop the conditions to harness the imagination and innovation of European workforce. To create the inspirational and ambitious concepts for future weapons systems, in 2010, MBDA launched Concept Visions, an annual initiative to unlock creativity and promote teamwork accross business units and frontiers.

• Flexis – 2015
• Stratus – 2014
• Hoplite – 2013
• Vigilus – 2012
• Perseus – 2011
• Infantry Weapon Systems – 2010

 

 

 

Future Systems Business Model

Schema FSBM-2[1]

Future missile systems are prepared using a progressive converging process. This process gradually transforms a set of operational needs, industrial strategies (either government driven or internally promoted), ideas and technologies into a new solution that will provide operational value to a customer. In this process, all the environment is taken into account, and a permanent open discussion is maintained between the technical and commercial levels and with the customers.
→ In the preparation phase, the Future Systems Directorate is in charge of conducting studies that will investigate and mature new technologies, develop, evaluate and select concepts and refine requirements.

→ In the development phase the lead is transferred to the Programmes Directorate that will be in charge of the development of the solution.

Though the duration of all this process, ideas and innovation coming from inside MBDA but also from suppliers, SMEs, academia or other partners are taken into account and integrated into the solution building.

 

Innovative technologies that deliver value to our customers

At MBDA we take into consideration all sort of technologies and solutions that have a potential to deliver operational value to our customer.  Technology, integration, concept of employment, economic model : we invest in all these aspects to improve our products performance.

All the ways that allow to insert innovation in our products are considered: incremental improvement of present products, potential “game changers” and niches that could complement our product portfolio.

AI & DATA, a lever for complex weapons

MBDA is at the forefront of technological advances and must stay aware of the rapidly moving technology that is AI.

> Learn more about AI & DATA

 

 

Team Tempest

Tempest forms part of a next-generation combat air system, operating at the leading edge of technological innovation, strengthening the UK’s position as a global leader in combat air. Tempest will be a crewed aircraft at the heart of the UK’s Future Combat Air System (FCAS) from 2035.

> Learn more about Team Tempest