MBDA has received a contract from German Air Force to manufacture and supply Brimstone 3 precision strike missiles for the Bundeswehr’s Eurofighter combat aircraft. A final assembly line and a service centre for Brimstone will be set up at MBDA’s Schrobenhausen site for this purpose. Brimstone 3 is a tactical precision strike missile characterised by very high levels of combat-proven accuracy, effectiveness and reliability. Brimstone 3 enables the forces to hit stationary and fast-moving targets with pinpoint accuracy in all weathers. Brimstone is also being integrated onto unmanned aerial vehicles such as the Eurodrone and MQ-9B and is a suitable armament option for land vehicles, helicopters and heavy remote carriers.
Eric Béranger, Chief Executive Officer of MBDA said: “The procurement of Brimstone 3 by Germany is a decisive contribution to the harmonisation of armaments in Europe and the Bundeswehr’s ammunition stockpile. The new production line is the first of its kind outside the UK and demonstrates the value of the MBDA cooperation model in ensuring the sovereign supply of critical European defence capabilities.”
Brimstone is a ground or air-launched ground attack missile developed by MBDA UK for the UK’s Royal Air Force. It was originally intended for “fire-and-forget” use against mass formations of enemy armour, using a millimetre wave (mmW) active radar homing seeker to ensure accuracy even against moving targets. Experience in Afghanistan led to the addition of laser guidance in the dual-mode Brimstone missile, allowing a “spotter” to pick out specific and the highest priority targets, particularly useful to minimise collateral damage when friendly forces or civilians were in the area. The tandem shaped-charge warhead is much more effective against modern tanks than older similar weapons such as the AGM-65G Maverick missile.
In March 2019, MBDA successfully tested the latest Brimstone 3 version in Sweden, now including surface-to-surface firing, plus new hardware allowing future enhancements. The upgrades included a new Internal measurement unit, enhanced autopilot, improved battery for an addition 30% engagement duration and a new improved multi-effect warhead that was Insensitive fully compliant with STANAG 4439. Brimstone 3 is also being offered to the British Army as part of MBDA’s bid for the Mounted Close Combat Overwatch program which aims to provide an under-armour, non-line-of-sight, anti-armour capability to frontline forces as an overdue capability replacement for Swingfire.
