MBDA Delivers 1st series ''MILAN ADT'' to South Africa

MBDA has delivered the first series production batch of the new fully digitised MILAN ADT (ADvanced Technologies) firing post to South Africa. In addition to this latest generation firing post, developed and produced by MBDA Deutschland/LFK in Germany, the delivery also included MILAN 3 munitions and a training simulator. Troop trials with the system by the customer are already under way.

During acceptance of the firing posts at the MBDA Deutschland/LFK site at Schrobenhausen in December 2007, the customer checked and confirmed the functionality of five units. In addition, the maintenance equipment, initial spares package and logistic and maintenance systems for product support were demonstrated and also received customer acceptance.

The order for the MILAN ADT firing posts, MILAN 3 munitions and STC simulators was placed by South Africa for its infantry and special units on 20 December 2006.

The new digital technology of the MILAN ADT firing post improves Detection, Recognition and Identification (DRI) capabilities and also provides distinct advantages with regard to maintenance and training tools. The universal deployability, high effectiveness and proven reliability of MILAN has resulted in its selection by 44 nations to date with a total of 360,000 MILAN guided missiles and approximately 10,000 firing posts having been sold. Some 10,000 missiles have been fired in operations and out of a total of over 100,000 firings; the hit rate has been confirmed at 95%.

"The MILAN programme is emblematic of Franco-German cooperation and this latest generation of the MILAN weapon system reinforces this strong bilateral collaboration," said Antoine Bouvier, MBDA's Chief Executive Officer. "This first delivery of the new ADT firing post to South Africa confirms the world class standard of this weapon system".

Werner Kaltenegger, Managing Director of MBDA Deutschland with overall trans-national responsibility for MILAN ADT-ER within MBDA, said: "The delivery of the new MILAN ADT firing post is an important contribution to the modernisation of South Africa's armed forces. In MILAN ADT, South Africa is receiving a state-of-the-art and highly cost-efficient firing post. Thanks to its improved optics, integrated thermal imager and digitised localiser, MILAN ADT meets the requirements of today's modern armed forces for a close combat weapon deployable in all conditions, day and night against a wide range of ground targets", he added.

Source : MBDA

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