European Union Gives Thumbs Up to MBDA’s MMP Missile

On 19 November, EU Defence ministers have backed the EU BLOS (Beyond Line Of Sight) initiative as part of a portfolio of 17 defense projects aimed for implementation under Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO). This initiative, put forth by France and endorsed by Belgium and Cyprus, marks the inaugural missile system endeavor benefiting from this innovative cooperation framework.

By fostering a distinct operational capability for military endeavors, this initiative will advance a cohesive and independent European strategy in the land combat sector while enhancing the qualitative input of European nations towards fulfilling NATO’s strategic objectives. The land combat area has been acknowledged since June 2018 as one of the 11 European capability focal points.

The EU BLOS initiative intends to create a series of BLOS missiles equipped with advanced imaging and human-in-the-loop functionalities. Utilizing the MMP missile system as a foundation, this product line will be entirely overseen by European industry, ensuring complete operational autonomy, secure supply chains, and future advancements that will benefit the 25 PESCO member states. Establishing a European operational doctrine along with its related operational concepts will be one of the prime objectives of this initiative. It will also lay the groundwork for forming a European user community that will nurture the advancement potential of the MMP missile system in terms of missile upgrades and its integration across a broad array of ground and aerial platforms.

The EU BLOS initiative will also leverage the CAMO (Capacité Motorisée) bilateral strategic alliance between France and Belgium, fostering operational and capability synergies across the armed forces of both nations.