Kuwait awards MBDA air defence missile system upgrade contract

07/03/2007

Kuwait has awarded global missile systems group MBDA a contract to upgrade its Aspide air defence missile batteries deployed by the Kuwaiti air defence brigade.

The €65 million contract, to be performed over three years, covers the modernisation of the standard Aspide missile to the improved Aspide 2000 configuration. SPADA 2000 is an advanced, ground-based missile system capable of operating in dense ECM environments to provide all weather, day and night area defence against combat aircraft and incoming missiles. It is a development from the original Spada/Aspide system and now benefits from advanced technologies to increase the engagement range of the missile as well as interception capability, particularly of highly manoeuvrable targets at low level.

The contract also covers the supply of ancillary equipment to ensure advanced in-service support and maintenance as well as the necessary modification systems for the Amoun missiles to configure them to the new Aspide 2000 standard.

«This latest success confirms the superior operational performance of the Aspide missile system as well as the excellence of the technological evolution of both the missile and the launcher », said Fabrizio Giulianini, Managing Director of MBDA Italia.

«This modernisation programme – commented Jean-Luc Lamothe, Export Sales Director – adds a new impetus to a number of other modernisation programmes being undertaken by MBDA around the world, both retrofit programmes of systems already in service and the introduction into service of new missile capabilities».

With over 5000 missiles produced, Aspide/Aspide 2000 has achieved an in-service reliability rate of over 95% with some 600 operational and service training firings undertaken. This level of reliability places Aspide among the world’s best in the short-range point air defence missile system sector.