MBDA successfully completed the first launch of the Marte ER anti-ship missile, reaching a major milestone in the munitions development program.
The launch was made last November 9 at an Italian shooting range. The Mars missile ER flew over 100 km following a planned trajectory that included several turns and a sea skimming flight, thus successfully testing all flight phases.
Pasquale Di Bartolomeo, Executive Group Director Sales & Business Development and Managing Director MBDA Italy, commented: “This test represents the further confirmation of the robustness of the ER version of the Marte, a multi-platform anti-ship missile family able to allow launching from ship, helicopter, coastal battery and fast jet. The Marte family has a long and consolidated history of success both at domestic and international level: the most recent at the beginning of the 2018 with the order from the Air Force of Qatar to equip the new NH90 helicopters with the Mars ER. The Marte family is able to offer customers great operational flexibility in the field of maritime superiority, a sector in which MBDA in Italy has been able over the years not only to maintain, but also to grow and further develop its own skills and know-how".
The Mars ER program is proceeding at full speed to meet customer requirements. After completing the System Definition Phase in 18 months, the activities for the complete integration of the ER Mars on the Eurofighter Typhoon fighter are proceeding as planned with the aim of implementing the anti-ship capacity on board this platform.
