Is the European MBDA group producing enough missiles, and at a sufficiently sustainable rate, to help Ukraine, especially in its war against Russia? The Minister of the Armed Forces, Sebastien Lecornu, asked the question in February, clearly suggesting that the world number two in the sector (behind American Raytheon Technologies) could do better, especially in the production of Aster anti-aircraft and anti-ballistic missiles.
Eric Beranger, CEO of the group owned by British BAE Systems (37.5%), Airbus Defense and Space (37.5%) and Italian Leonardo (25%), sharply increased the results on Wednesday March 13, 2023. “Work in Progress”He explained, taking the example of Aster missiles, which “Developed at a time when Europe was reaping the “Peace Dividend” and time did not count”. The Russo-Ukrainian war changed the situation radically.
It now confronts the company “Requests in respect of urgent operational requirements”Mr. Berenger explains. “I completely understand the impatience of our customers. In reality, we have only one challenge, and that is to be able to produce more and deliver faster. » Before February 2022, it took forty-two months to produce Ester, from order to delivery to the customer. ” We plan to reduce it to eighteen months in 2026”It advertises.
“Supply Problems”
MBDA wants to repeat what it did for the Mistral, its short-range missile (up to 8 kilometers): its monthly production has increased from ten missiles in 2022 to twenty today and must reach forty in 2025, and the production time is to reach around 2022. Half in fifteen months in 2025.
Air defense systems have largely contributed to the sharp increase in the order book: +9.9 billion euros in 2023, +8.8 billion in 2022 after and +5.1 billion in 2021 before the conflict in Ukraine. It now totals 28 billion euros, while turnover increased by 7% (to 4.5 billion).
France and Italy have ordered hundreds of Asters for a total of 2 billion euros. Polish forces (for 2 billion) then the Swedish army bought a large number of CAMMs. These missiles can be launched from land-based vehicles, ships or aircraft at a speed of Mach 3 (approximately 3,700 kilometers per hour). Outside MBDA’s countries of operation (France, Germany, Italy, United Kingdom, Spain), three-quarters of exports were made to states directly exposed to the Russian threat.
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