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Korean Marine Attack Helicopters will be armed with the Mistral ATAM anti-air missile system under a contract between MBDA and Korea Aerospace Industries.
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European multinational developer and missile manufacturer MBDA has announced the new helicopters will be equipped with ATAM system which includes two launchers per helicopter, each carrying two missiles.
Man-portable Mistral air defence systems are already in-service with the Republic of Korea’s Armed Forces. Both companies are also in collaboration to integrate the Meteor beyond visual range missile onto KF-21 Boramae fighter aircraft.
MBDA chief executive officer Eric Béranger said the Mistral ATAM is based on the Mistral short-range anti-air missile, known for its fire-and-forget engagement mode, ease of operation, and unrivalled kill probability.
“We are proud to be partnered again with Korea Aerospace Industries to arm a Korean military aircraft,” he said.
“This contract cements Mistral ATAM’s place as a world’s leading helicopter launched anti-air missile system.”
MBDA UK and MBDA Italia also recently announced the signing of a new collaboration agreement with Japan’s Mitsubishi Electric Corporation in September this year, to support the design of core-platform as part of the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP).
All three companies will work together to ensure the seamless integration of modern weapons for the GCAP platform and work on weapon effects management and related technologies.
The collaboration agreement is focused on aligning national approaches to effector integration of the GCAP partners and does not include the joint development of effectors.
MBDA has previously worked collaboratively on major defence programs as part of the UK’s Team Tempest effort at the start of 2018 and expanding in 2019 as Italy joined the growing program. The company brings decades of experience in developing and integrating weapon systems for various Combat Air platforms.
Mitsubishi Electric has played a key role in Japan’s F-2 program and has been involved in the development of Japan’s F-X next-generation fighter program. Mitsubishi Electric is also working with Leonardo and ELT Group on GCAP’s advanced electronics after Japan joined the UK and Italy to create the Global Combat Air Programme.
“This experience and combined expertise will be fundamental in ensuring that the GCAP effects domain works in harmony with the platform’s other domains; mission systems, sensors, power; exploiting the information advantage they will provide and together maximising mission effectiveness. Giving GCAP customers a decisive advantage in the Combat Air,” according to a public statement made by MBDA on 13 September.
