Test Conducted During Vehicle Qualification Trials
MBDA and Nexter achieved the first lock-on firing of an MMP missile from the JAGUAR armoured vehicle last month, with the missile successfully hitting its target, the companies announced on 11 May.
Carried out by France’s procurement agency, the DGA at the Landes Technique Test Centre as part of the JAGUAR qualification process, the test missile was launched from a two-pod JAGUAR turret. This firing is the first stage in the process, successfully demonstrating hitting a fixed target. The system will offer the capability to destroy fixed or mobile hardened land targets, including the latest generation of tanks. Targeting will be direct or beyond-line-of-sight, and will also be precise and ensure minimal collateral damage.
MMP’s capabilities – integrated into the JAGUAR’s turret by Nexter, alongside the remote-controlled weapon station developed by Arquus, the SCORPION common vetronics solution developed by Thales and the 40mm cannon developed by CTAI – gives the JAGUAR a key role in collaborative combat.
During this demonstration, the Optrolead PASEO battlefield surveillance sight interfaced with the missile system, offering real-time optronic acquisition by day and by night. This gives the JAGUAR excellent long-range observation and identification capabilities.
Frédéric Michaud, Head of Battlefield Sector for Sales & Business Development at MBDA, commented “This firing marks an important first step of the work conducted with Nexter to develop the JAGUAR turret and integrate the MMP into a weapon system built on the latest technological solutions. This two-missile turret configuration considerably expands the vehicle’s firepower.”
David Marquette, JAGUAR project manager at Nexter, added “This marks a major milestone, demonstrating the technical skills of our teams in designing and developing an operational capability unlike any other in the world.”