MBDA’s CAMM completes qualitification from Lockheed Martin’s ExLS

Following a series of successful trials with the Royal Navy (RN), the latest of which took place in the United Kingdom at the end of 2017, MBDA and Lockheed Martin have jointly completed qualification of MBDA’s Common Anti-Air Modular Missile (CAMM) from Lockheed Martin’s Extensible Launching System (ExLS) 3-Cell Stand Alone Launcher.

The ExLS reuses existing canistered munitions with qualified launch electronics to cut by more than 50 per cent the cost of integrating new missiles and munitions into surface combatants equipped with Vertical Launching Systems (VLS). The 3-Cell Stand Alone Launcher version was developed in particular for naval platforms too small to accommodate the larger 8-Cell MK41 VLS.

MBDA’s CAMM is an air defence missile, which compact quad-pack configuration allows for multiple weapons fit in limited spaces. It is currently in full scale production for the UK Ministry of Defence in order to deliver the Sea Ceptor ship-based air defence system that will equip the RN Type 23 and the future Type 26 frigates.

By combining the two technologies, Lockheed Matin and MBDA have successfully developed a system that allows smaller ships to deliver a good punch through a total of 12 missiles stored in three cells for minimum footprint.

“The success of these trials is testament to the hard work and close co-operation of the MBDA and Lockheed Martin,” said Joe DePietro, Lockheed Martin Vice President of small combatants and ship systems. “A launcher within a launcher, ExLS uses CAMM canistered munitions with its qualified launch electronics to cut integration costs by more than 50 percent. It is a mature design that when paired with CAMM offers a low-cost alternative for integrating new missiles and munitions into current and future surface combatants.”