MBDA unveils interceptor to counter mass drone attacks

By Florence Loeve

PARIS, July 20 - ‌European missile manufacturer ​MBDA ​is launching an interceptor to counter attacks by large numbers of low-cost munitions such as drones, as wars in Ukraine and the Middle East ‌expose the limits of traditional defence systems against mass-produced threats.

The Counter ⁠Mass Interceptor, to be unveiled at the Farnborough Airshow in England on Monday, offers European militaries and ‌NATO forces a new defence ‌against waves of inexpensive weapons.

“Today in Europe, there is no sovereign system capable of addressing saturation,” an MBDA representative told Reuters.

“That means that if we want to ​address this threat, we are forced to rely on non-European systems, whether American, Israeli or others,” the representative added.

The United States uses systems such as the precision-guided ⁠rocket APKWS (Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System), produced by BAE Systems with U.S. companies Northrop Grumman and General Dynamics.

Armed ​forces grapple with the economics of modern warfare, where intercepting a low-cost drone can require missiles costing many times more than the target ​itself, raising concerns about both costs and ammunition ‌stockpiles.

Russia's extensive use of Shahed drones against Ukraine and Iran's use of them in the war with the U.S. has highlighted ⁠the need for simpler, cost-effective responses against mass attacks with inexpensive weapons.

This first interceptor, targeting smaller drones, is intended to be complemented later by a second interceptor with a longer range, targeting ⁠drones as well as a larger array of weapons such as rockets, gliding bombs and subsonic ​missiles and with the ability to operate in all weather conditions.

MBDA said development of the programme is currently being led by its British teams, though a future iteration will likely be led by ‌their French counterparts.

An initial version of the interceptor will be available as early as 2028, MBDA said in an email to ‌Reuters.

It could be manufactured either by industrial partners or directly by MBDA, using existing production facilities ⁠and repurposed production lines, according ‌to the group.

“We are moving ​closer to an automotive-industry model. The goal is to be able to manufacture at scale,” its representative said.

(Reporting by Florence Loève; Editing by ‌Sharon Singleton)

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