Australia could become the first country outside of France to produce one of the world’s most advanced air defence missile systems.

Australian-owned NIOA and multinational European defence company MBDA chose the stage of the Indo Pacific International Maritime Exposition in Sydney today (Eds: Wednesday, November 5) to announce they had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on MISTRAL missile solutions.

The MoU also provides the opportunity to explore options for assembly or production of Australian made warheads for the MISTRAL suite of missiles and becoming part of the global MISTRAL supply chain.

The French-made MISTRAL is a Very Short Range Air Defence (VSHORAD) system that works on a “fire-and-forget” mode, with a high manoeuvrability supersonic speed, guaranteeing a short interception time.

These functionalities allow it to intercept a wide variety of threats, from aircraft to helicopters, drones, cruise missiles, missile-capable navy gunboats and loitering munitions.

NIOA Group CEO Rob Nioa said the newly-inked agreement between NIOA and MBDA supported the Australian Government’s Defence Industry Development Strategy for closer industrial collaboration with trusted international partners.

“MBDA are world leaders in the missile industry. With the Australian Government’s focus on domestic manufacturing of a wider range of munitions and the expansion of partnerships with industry, the timing is right for NIOA and MBDA to take this first and significant step,” Mr Nioa said.

“Co-design, co-development, co-production and co-sustainment of capabilities such as MISTRAL missiles will make effective use of combined resources, strengthening collective defence industrial capacity, enhancing interoperability and accelerating technology development.”

Pierre-Marie Belleau, Business Development Executive at MBDA, said: “MBDA is pleased to enter into this MoU with NIOA. Both businesses have complementary experiences in delivering world-leading products for their customers.

“MISTRAL is a class leading VSHORAD capability, ideally suited as an effector in a multi-layered and integrated air defence.

“NIOA is playing a key role in delivering munitions for the Australian Defence Force. Together we can provide the solutions to counter the evolving drone threat armed forces now face and deliver the best VSHORAD capability available on the market.”

Mr Belleau said MBDA was committed to being a long-term partner to Australia and its defence industry.

“Industrial cooperation and partnering with domestic companies for local production is a core part of the MBDA DNA,” he said. “Signing this MoU is an example of MBDA’s commitment to this.”

The MISTRAL’s multi-domain (land, maritime and air) lethality, versatility and portability – it can be used in a man-portable launcher or integrated onto launch platforms – have made it the air defence weapon of choice for allied militaries.

The latest MISTRAL 3 has a success rate of more than 98 per cent and such is the demand from European allies that MBDA recently delivered its 2000^th missile.

NIOA Group CEO Rob Nioa, Pierre-Marie Belleau, Business Development Executive at MBDA, and French Ambassador Pierre-Andre Imbert at the Indo Pacific expo in Sydney where they have signed an agreement to explore the manufacture of MISTRAL missiles and warheads.

The combat proven MISTRAL 3 missile offers troops comprehensive protection against a wide range of airborne threats.