Exocet missile receives new radar guidance system
23 September, 2024 Assembling the Exocet MM40 Block 3C missile at facilities of MBDA France, September, 2024. Photo credits: Naval News The new French Exocet MM40 Block 3C anti-ship missile has received a new generation coherent homing system.
This was announced in an exclusive interview with Naval News by the head of MBDA's long-range weapons business. The Block 3C anti-ship cruise missile, which will be introduced in 2022, has received improvements aimed at enhancing the guidance system's resistance to enemy electronic interference. "Given the increasing density of the electronic warfare in all areas of combat, as observed currently in the Black Sea and in Ukraine, the MM40 Block 3C is configured to work efficiently in any conditions no matter how dense the EW spectrum is," said the journalists who visited the plant for the production of these missiles.
Assembling the Exocet MM40 Block 3C missile at facilities of MBDA France, September, 2024. Photo credits: Naval News
The main difference between the Block 3 and Block 3c is the new seeker.
Operating in the new J-Band for such systems, the digital radio frequency homing device manufactured by Thales should provide coherent radar data processing. The most important advantage of this technology is the ability to differentiate relatively small differences in speed (which correspond to small differences in phase). Coherent target processing offers Doppler-like resolution/estimation and provides greater robustness to interference than incoherent processing.
In addition, the new technology will enable the new AShM to recognize a target ship in a group of ships and then engage specific areas of a given target. Modern anti-ship missiles such as LRASM and NSM can already do this, but both use infrared (IR) homing systems.
Exocet MM40 Block 3C
The Block 3 upgrade to the Exocet missile provides a range of up to 200 km with a new turbojet engine and the ability to engage coastal targets. The latest version of the Block 3c missile has been in service with the French Navy since December 2022.
The Fleet Command ordered 55 new missiles, as well as 45 MM40 Block 3c kits to upgrade existing Block 3 missiles to the Block 3c variant. During sea trials conducted by the frigate Alsace in September 2023, the new missile confirmed its readiness for operational use. Captain Jerome Henry, the FREMM Alsace's air defense commander, said that the MM40 Block 3c missile's distinguishing feature was its stability and accuracy against electronic warfare.
He said that the Block 3c missile made it possible to destroy enemy warships that were particularly well protected.
Earlier, Militarnyi reported that Australia was investing heavily to deploy NSM and JSM production facilities in Australia.