European nations unite to develop a rival missile to American tomahawk
Four European countries—Poland, Germany, France, and Italy—aim to jointly develop a long-range cruise missile as an alternative to the American Tomahawk. The MBDA arms company already has a concept for this new missile, reports "Handelsblatt."
According to the German business daily Handelsblatt, MBDA, a French-based European arms company specialising in the production of missile weapons, has already developed a concept for the new European long-range cruise missile.
During the NATO summit in Washington, the defence ministers of Poland, Germany, France, and Italy signed a letter of intent to collaborate on the construction of missiles that would replace the American Tomahawks.
Key weapon for Europe
As Deutsche Welle conveyed, the MBDA arms company stated that developing European capabilities for precise strikes against targets deep behind enemy lines is "crucial for our armed forces, today and in the future".
The technology is already here
Handelsblatt notes that the joint venture involving Airbus (Germany/France), BAE Systems (United Kingdom), and Leonardo (Italy) stands to gain orders worth billions.
MBDA announced the development of the new cruise missile at the Eurosatory defence fair in Paris at the end of June. The "Land Cruise Missile" (LCM) is partly based on cruise missiles developed and deployed by France on frigates and submarines.
The company confirmed it already possesses the technology and capabilities to deliver long-range European weaponry to partner countries.
