MBDA has signed a first contract with an export customer for the acquisition of its naval air defence system SIMBAD-RC, one year after launching its self-financed development.

The first prototypes are currently in the production process and initial deliveries will take place in 2015. The system will be installed on a fleet of patrol vessels and each vessel will be equipped with two turrets.

Following this new export success, MBDA’s CEO Antoine Bouvier declared: “The SIMBAD-RC programme gives a clear demonstration of MBDA's ability to help customers unlock additional capabilities from their previous acquisitions. Building upon a market standard like the Mistral missile - of which 17,000 units have already been produced - we have developed a simple, highly automated system that largely extends the operational use of the missiles that are already in service”.

The SIMBAD-RC is a remotely-controlled, very short range naval air defence system that provides highly efficient capabilities against a wide range of threats, from fighter aircraft through to anti-ship missiles or small-sized threats such as Unmanned Air Vehicles.

SIMBAD-RC gives an easy to set up, self-defence capability to patrol vessels and support craft, or complements the air defence capabilities of other ship types. Each turret supports two ready-to-fire missiles. The turrets are remotely-operated and so allow the operator to remain under cover, thereby ensuring longer operational availability in case of a combat alert.

The SIMBAD-RC uses the Mistral missile which has already been ordered by nearly 30 countries worldwide.