French defense purchasing agency DGA will manage the joint procurement of MBDA’s Mistral 3 missile system by France, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia and Hungary, which signed a cooperation agreement for the deal on Wednesday. The Defence Industry Europe website reported that DGA has already signed a contract with MBDA for the French purchase of the missiles.
MBDA CEO Eric Beranger described the cooperative purchase as “a major step forward” for the European Union member states’ defense buildup and a contributor to communal security. “This agreement will drive efficiencies and enhance the resilience of the European defense industrial base,” he added.
An MBDA statement on the five-country deal said several other countries have expressed keen interest in the cooperative purchase arrangement.
The five buyers signed a letter of intent on the arrangement at the Paris Air Show in June 2023, with Romania later indicating its plan to join. According to a Defense News report, Mistral’s 2024 monthly production will double to 40 units.
Currently deployed in the French army and armed forces in several other countries, Mistral 3 is a ground-launched, air defense missile system. It is designed with an infrared imaging tracer and advanced image processing to engage low-thermal signature targets, such as drones and turbojet-powered missiles.