MBDA is to assemble Brimstone air-to-surface missiles in Germany for the first time, following its receipt of a contract to equip the Luftwaffe’s Eurofighter combat aircraft.
Announced on 5 July and covering Brimstone 3 weapons, the deal will lead to a final assembly line and service centre being established at MBDA Germany’s Schrobenhausen site north of Munich.
“The new production line is the first of its kind [for Brimstone] outside the UK and demonstrates the value of the MBDA co-operation model in ensuring the sovereign supply of critical European defence capabilities,” says company chief executive Eric Beranger.
“The procurement of Brimstone 3 by Germany is a decisive contribution to the harmonisation of armaments in Europe and the Bundeswehr’s ammunition stockpile,” he adds.
Weighing around 50kg (110lb) and 1.8m (5ft 9in) in length, the air-launched Brimstone can “hit stationary and fast-moving targets with pinpoint accuracy in all weathers”, MBDA says.
The UK Royal Air Force already uses the precision-guided Brimstone with its Eurofighter Typhoons, while Spain has also previously announced plans to acquire the weapon for its fleet of the type.
MBDA notes that the Brimstone 3 also could be an option for carriage by the Eurodrone unmanned air vehicle in development for use by France, Germany, Italy and Spain. It also views it as a candidate for a future class of remote carrier vehicles to be flown in concert with “sixth-generation” fighters from around the middle of the next decade.
