Article Posted on : - Feb 22, 2011

The Multi Purpose Combat Vehicle. An MBDA photo

PARIS (BNS): European missile manufacturer MBDA has signed a contract with a foreign customer to supply its Multi Purpose Combat Vehicle (MPCV) system.

The company will supply the highly mobile armoured vehicles which would be equipped with missile turrets, missile launchers and firing controls.

“The new MPCVs will be integrated within the customer’s existing air defence architecture which is based on already in-service systems deploying MBDA’s Mistral missile.

“MPCV will add a number of inherent qualities such as its fire power, reactivity, its protection of personnel as well as its operational coverage,” MBDA said.

MBDA began the development of the Multi Purpose Combat Vehicles in 2006. The MPCV features a multi-purpose missile turret, which in its first version, is the anti-air configuration with a launcher deploying four, ready-to-fire, Mistral missiles with four other missiles stored within the vehicle.

The system was qualified successful after conducting a series of test firing in 2010. The tests culminated with a firing demonstration against a number of targets representing a saturating air attack.

The company expects to deliver the first series of MPCVs by 2013.