NCM (Naval Cruise Missile)

MBDA has developed its NCM (Naval Cruise missile) to meet requirements issued by the French Ministry of Defence for a long range cruise missile capable of being launched from surface and below surface vessels (this French programme is known as MdCN or Missile de Croisiere Naval). The ability to strike strategic and military targets with exceptional precision from extended stand-off ranges has become a key operational requirement. MBDA’s experience and expertise in this area has already been proven with the development and entry into service of the Storm Shadow/SCALP air-launched cruise missile. This combat-proven missile system, with its unmatched capabilities, was the result of a multi-national European cooperation programme between France, Italy and the UK. NCM provides a unique operational capability with long range metric precision strike options against targets in all weather conditions and environments. The missile has been designed for vertical launch from France’s FREMM frigates using the company A70 SYLVER vertical launcher, which is also capable of housing other MBDA missiles including the Aster family of air defence missiles. As the missile is not launched from a plane like SCALP/Storm Shadow, a booster has been included in its design. NCM also provides a much larger range than these missiles and one that’s comparable to the BGM-109 Tomahawk. The submarine version is encapsulated in a hydrodynamic hard container which is ejected when the missile reaches the surface. The first test flight of the Naval Cruise Missile from a vertical launcher took place on 28 May 2010 and its first submarine launch test took place on 8 June 2011. The first complete qualification firing took place on 9 July 2012 at the Biscarosse test range and during its third development firing, the missile met all its test requirements perfectly, including the validation of the terminal autonomously guided phases with IR target scenario reconnaissance, which provides the weapon with its exceptionally high precision. In October of that year, the Naval Cruise Missile was tested ‘end-to-end’ in the submarine launch configuration for the first time. The missile entered service with FREMM frigates in February 2017. Web site : LinkedIn : Twitter: