“MBDA and OCCAR Forge Alliance to Transform Italy’s Air Defense with Cutting-Edge CAMM-ER Innovations”

MBDA, an international leader in the field of advanced weapon systems, has executed a modification to its contract with OCCAR (the organization for joint armament coordination) to enhance the technical specifications of the Italian air defense systems utilizing CAMM-ER for the Italian Army and Air Force, specifically Grifo and MAADS (Medium Advanced Air Defense System).

This accord will also unveil a novel versatile and multifunctional Fire Control Unit (FCU), designed and developed by MBDA to significantly improve the command-and-control functions of the Grifo system. This evolution, carried out for the benefit of the Italian Army, includes substantial enhancements that have been formulated over the past year, within the principal production agreement aimed at strengthening the operational capacity of the Italian Armed Forces. The contract further includes the operational validation and the production of the new FCU.

The Grifo system utilizes CAMM-ER – the extended-range missile from the progressive CAMM series – collaboratively developed in the UK and Italy for ground and naval air defense. The CAMM series can be effortlessly integrated with the user’s preferred radar and C2 systems to create an Enhanced Modular Air Defense Solution (EMADS).

CAMM-ER, equipped with a state-of-the-art active seeker and a innovative engine – crafted by AVIO – to provide an extended operational range, was successfully validated last year and will replace the Aspide missile currently employed by the SPADA system of the Italian Air Force and the Skyguard system of the Italian Army.

Moreover, CAMM-ER is included in Albatros NG, the next-generation naval-based air defense (NBAD) solution, already marketed overseas, that enhances the surface-to-air capabilities of naval fleets.

The projects arising from this fresh contract will further enhance the industrial potential at MBDA’s Italian sites, especially at the Fusaro facility in Bacoli (near Naples), which has already been upgraded due to recent contracts for CAMM-ER and Aster missiles, thereby fostering the company’s technological and industrial growth.