French missile systems manufacturer MBDA says it has been awarded a first contract for its new Albatros NG air defense system.
The company did not reveal the identity of the first customer or the financial details of the deal. It only said the system would be in service in 2024.
Albatros NG is a new generation “naval based air defense” (NBAD) system, based on the CAMM-ER, which is the extended range variant of the Common Anti-air Modular Missile (CAMM) family.
Deriving its name from the legacy Albatros systems which have been in service with the Italian Navy and several export customers, is suitable for different kinds of vessels providing air defense capability for platforms ranging from patrol vessels and corvettes to destroyers.
MBDA added that the system offered a complementary layer for larger vessels such as frigates and destroyers already equipped with a long range air defense system.
The CAMM-ER missile is capable of providing self and local area defense against the evolving airborne threat at ranges of 40km; it will be integrated in the new ground based air defense systems for the Italian Army and Italian Air Force. CAMM family systems have already been delivered to the British Army, to the Royal Navy and to several export nations.
MBDA recently reached another first as it welcomed Egypt as the launch customer for its MICA NG air defense system that will be installed on the country’s Gowind corvettes.
