MBDA MMP (Missile Moyenne Portee)

History

The MBDA MMP ("Missile Moyenne Portee") is a fifth-generation man-portable anti-tank missile (ATGM). It is marketed as a light armor-piercing/counter-fortification/anti-personnel/reconnaissance solution that can be launched from confined spaces such as buildings or vehicles (including ships).

Thanks to its powerful integrated optics, the system can operate in daylight and low light conditions. While serving in France, the MMP was chosen to replace the aging stockpile of Cold War-era "Milan" ATGMs (described in detail elsewhere on this site).

The launch vehicle assembly or "launch rod", including the tripod leg assembly and battery pack, has a carrying weight of 11 kg. The column can also be connected to an external power source. The system can be ready to boot in seconds.

The rocket has a traditional shape with a round cap and a slender tubular fuselage. Inside is a next-generation seeker with a tandem warhead payload capable of defeating the most modern armored solutions (especially when it comes to main battle tanks - MBTs). This also facilitates the destruction of solid positions, those constructed of concrete or buried under compressed soil. A real-time fiber optic data link transfers course correction information from the launch vehicle components to the launched missile, resulting in excellent range accuracy.

The transmitter can also operate autonomously. The propulsion components are placed on the tail of the missile in the usual way.

The two parts of the body have spring-loaded fins that bounce up after the rocket motor is fired and fired. The tail fins help stabilize the missile in its flight path toward the target, and also help with heading corrections during flight.

It weighs 15kg, has a diameter of 140mm and a total length of 1.3m.

Missiles can be trained to attack targets front-on or from above (the latter is a particularly useful feature since armor is usually thinner along upward-facing surfaces). This allows line-of-sight (LoS) and non-line-of-sight (NLoS) angles of attack on any target.

Two warhead modes are built into the missile design - one for better armored defense and the other as an anti-personnel solution. This versatile missile can destroy up to 1,000mm of rolled homogeneous armour (RHA) or up to 2,000mm of concrete.

The missile also carries a dual-frequency seeker assembly that uses uncooled infrared (IR) or color TV channels.

The MMP has a range of up to 4,000 meters, which provides a good range for the weapon system when long-range combat becomes a daily task.

In 2013, MBDA received an order to supply MMP weapon systems to the French military. Qualification followed in July 2017, which led to the first deliveries later that year.

From November 15 to November 23, 2017, the French military began delivering the first samples of MMP launchers and missiles (the batch included 20 fire stations and 50 missiles). In total, the French military will procure a total of 400 launchers and 1,750 missiles by 2025.

From mid-August to mid-September, the French army verified the combat effectiveness of the MMP in a desert environment. Nine launches of the missile were recorded, each with success, proving that the design worked in a hot, dry environment.

This opens the door to the use of weapons in Africa, where French troops are actively fighting Islamic terrorists. French naval commandos have also successfully tested the armament of a rigid-hulled inflatable boat (RHIB), providing a new tool for the arsenal of French special forces.

The new EBRC "Jaguar" Armoured Reconnaissance Vehicle (ARCV) is an early candidate to install the MMP weapon system. The vehicles are scheduled to be delivered to the French army from 2020.

Specification

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