Deployment to UK and French Navies Soon
MBDA has completed qualification firing trials for the SEA VENOM/ANL anti-ship missile, the company announced on 26 November. The final successful firing took place at the DGA test site at Ile du Levant on 17 November, and tested the missile’s advanced target discrimination within a complex and cluttered naval scenario.
Soon to start equipping British WILDCAT and French Navy GUÉPARD naval helicopters, the anti-ship missile is an Anglo-French cooperation project developed under the Lancaster House Treaty. SEA VENOM/ANL is the first programme to take full advantage of the cross-border centres of excellence on missile technologies launched by the treaty, which celebrated its 10th anniversary this month.
Previous trials have tested the missile’s launch envelope, release envelope and engagement modes, such as its low-altitude sea-skimming flight, lock on after launch (LOAL), lock on before launch (LOBL), operator-in-the-loop, and aimpoint refinement.