New system to replace the MILAN missile

19/01/2012

On December 30th, 2011, the French defence procurement agency DGA awarded MBDA a risk reduction contract for the medium range missile (MMP) programme destined to replace the MILAN weapon system which has been in service with the French armed forces since 1974. The programme is scheduled to be launched in late 2012. MILAN has been a great success on the export market and the MMP programme will allow French and European industry to continue to offer customers a whole family of high-performance missile systems.

The MMP will give close combat units and special forces a versatile and precise attack capability. Needing to face a great variety of threats, these units need to be capable of acting alone, on foot and without any immediate support. They will also need to operate in complex environments (day-night actions; mingling with the population or with friendly forces; asymmetric combat; plurality of players involved, etc.) in widely varying areas (urban, desert, mountain zones; etc.). The MMP must be capable of destroying fixed or moving land targets at distances of up to 2500 m, including not only latest-generation tanks and light vehicles but also of neutralising disembarked personnel or personnel under cover in permanent or temporary defence shelters. During the engagement phases, the system’s ease of preparation, combined with its “fire and forget” and confined space firing capabilities will ensure optimum protection for the gunner.

Source: French Ministry of Defence