European defense contractor MBDA has developed a new submarine-launched missile designed to strike heavily protected naval vessels and stealthy targets.
The French-built missile, dubbed the SM40, is the latest variant of the Exocet family. The main elements that differentiate it from its predecessor, the SM39, is the integration of a new J-Band radio-frequency seeker, new algorithms tailored for high-intensity environments, and twice the reach, company officials told.
“It features a doubled range in the class of 120km with a new turbojet engine, to regain the stand-off distance in anti-submarine warfare,” Pierre-Marie Bealleau, head of business development for deep strike missiles at MBDA, said.
Belleau added that the SM40 was designed solely to equip Naval Group-made submarines, which indicates that the two systems will share the same customer range established by the French shipbuilder globally.
