MBDA Deutschland offers more applications for Enforcer missile system

MBDA Deutschland is offering more applications for the Enforcer missile system, including anti-tank, air-launched, and V/SHORAD versions. (MBDA)

MBDA Deutschland presented international journalists visiting the company on 27 October with more applications for the Enforcer missile system being procured by the Bundeswehr for its Leichtes Wirkmittel 1800+ requirement for a lightweight, day/night, precision-guided, shoulder-launched 89 mm weapon with a range of more than 1,800 m. The new applications are anti-tank, air-launched, and very short- and short-range air defence (V/SHORAD).

Jochen Dehner, MBDA's head of sales and marketing, said the Enforcer could be armed with a tandem shaped warhead instead of the existing warhead designed to destroy light vehicles. The Enforcer X anti-tank version of the weapon is under development, according to Dehner, who also spoke of a concept for an air-launched Enforcer for fixed- and rotary-wing manned and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

Michael Rieder, MBDA's head of sales and business development campaigns and international business, presented a version of the Enforcer missile with larger fins for the Bundeswehr's Nah- und Nächstbereichsschutz (NNbS) V/SHORAD and counter-small unmanned aircraft system (C-sUAS) requirement. Three cells with three Enforcers each would be installed on a Skyranger 30 based on the Boxer 8×8 armoured vehicle.

The Enforcer would be adapted for the NNbS requirement rather than developing new missiles, according to Rieder, who said that there is presently no solution for C-sUAS against Class 1 UAVs weighing less than 150 kg.

Dehner said the existing Enforcer missile has a range of 2 km with a direct hit, direct hit with delay, or airburst warhead designed to destroy light vehicles. He added that the weapon operator has the choice between an infrared (IR) and TV sensor, with IR sometimes being better for daylight.