Indian Scorpene Submarines to Receive Exocet Missiles

Released on Thursday, October 06, 2005

The Indian Ministry of Defence awarded international missile systems group MBDA the contract to supply its Exocet SM-39 weapon system to arm the Navy's new Scorpène conventional attack submarines.

The contract, signed on the 6th October in New Delhi, involves the provision of the Exocet SM-39 missile for the six new generation submarines ordered from Armaris.

This latest purchase of the Exocet missile makes India the 34th customer for the world-renowned anti-ship missile system. To date, MBDA has sold more than 3,300 Exocet missiles in all configurations since the missile first entered service.

The contract cements the already strong partnership between India's armed forces, indigenous industry and MBDA. MBDA's long relationship with India spans over a quarter of a century with key programs for the Indian Army and Air Force. The company's collaboration with India's Bharat Dynamics Ltd (BDL) dates back more than two decades with the production under license of the Milan anti-armor systems.

MBDA also has a long heritage of working with the Indian Air Force, equipping its Jaguar, MiG-21, MIG-23 and Mirage 2000 combat aircraft with airborne weapons.