First ship test for Block 3 Exocet missile

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First ship test for Block 3 Exocet missile

24 March 2010


The French Navy Forbin-class (Horizon) destroyer Chevalier Paul has completed the first in-service firing of the MBDA MM40 Block 3 Exocet anti-ship missile.

Conducted at the Direction Générale de l'Armement's (DGA's) Centre d'Essais de Lancement des Missiles (CELM) range off southern France on 18 March, the test also marked the first MM40 Block 3 shipborne firing. Two earlier developmental firings at the range, in September 2006 and April 2007, were performed from land.

As the latest evolution of the Exocet sea-skimming anti-ship missile line, MM40 Block 3 embodies significant performance and technology improvements including air-breathing propulsion, a GPS-based navigation and guidance package and a new launch and mission planning infrastructure. As well as more than doubling range and offering far greater flexibility in terms of attack profiles, Block 3 also introduces an expanded capability to strike at coastal targets.

The MM40 Block 3 has been selected by the navies of France, Greece, Oman, Morocco, Indonesia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates

First ship test for Block 3 Exocet missile

 

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Exocet MM40 Block 3

 

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Improvements of the Block 3 version of Exocet focus on a turbojet engine replacing the original solid-fuel rocket engine of earlier versions, and the integration of latest-generation avionics. These modifications double the missile's range, allow it to vary the angle of attack a target or to attack naval targets in the littoral zone, and designated by their geographical coordinates.