AQUILA Initiative: Leading the Charge Against Hypersonic Threats with MBDA’s European Coalition
The extensive air defense landscape is encountering increasing challenges due to the rapid evolution of complex threats, such as maneuvering ballistic missiles, hypersonic cruise missiles, and hypersonic glide vehicles. These modern threats require precise interception solutions to ensure the effective protection of national high-value assets and operational missions in the coming decades.
For more than five years, MBDA has been dedicated to innovative alternatives for countering hypersonic air defense, leveraging its extensive experience with the ASTER anti-missile interceptor and profound knowledge of these threats. This initiative, referred to as the AQUILA project, aims to provide optimal counter-hypersonic interceptor concepts for European nations, along with a comprehensive global air defense portfolio that includes various MBDA air defense solutions.
In March 2023, MBDA, alongside its partners, received an invitation to present a conceptual framework and technology enhancement study for an endo-atmospheric interceptor aimed at emerging high-tier threats.
HYDIS² is the HYpersonic Defence Interceptor Study, led by MBDA in collaboration with a consortium of 19 partners and over 30 subcontractors from 14 European countries.
The consortium is composed of defense organizations, academic institutions, SMEs, and mid-sized enterprises, all possessing recognized expertise in the essential technologies and sectors vital for this groundbreaking interceptor study. This collaboration merges the finest missile technology expertise from across the European Union, coupled with leading aeronautical scientific references and innovators in transformative fields to confront the counter-hypersonic challenge directly.
Eric Béranger, CEO of MBDA, remarked: “This initiative offers significant European benefits by enhancing resilience and technological autonomy through improved cooperation and interoperability among EU member states. Additionally, this project will strengthen the sovereign missile systems sector in Europe by cultivating and advancing crucial expertise, technologies, and materials, thus enhancing European industrial competitiveness. The advancements in the hypersonic field are rapid, and MBDA is committed to remaining at the forefront of innovation, guiding Europe towards the most effective solutions to address hypersonic threats.”
The objective of HYDIS² is to develop a variety of interceptor concepts and advance critical technologies that deliver the premier interception solutions tailored to the needs of the four participating member states – France, Italy, Germany, and The Netherlands – while aligning with the European TWISTER capability initiative. This effort is a vital part of European contributions to protecting its populations and armed forces, especially against emerging hypersonic threats, which signify a significant shift from conventional ballistic challenges.
France, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands have already expressed their support and commitment by signing a Letter of Intent and aligning on Initial Common Requirements.
