MBDA completed the first firing test for the Crossbow low-cost heavy cruise missile that can be fired from containers, developed for the UK’s requirements.
One of the new low-cost cruise missiles tailored for the UK’s needs by MBDA has been tested, nine months after the design phase. Crossbow has been developed as a heavier, low-cost cruise missile with a simple design and off-the-shelf components to allow rapid production, complementing the lighter counterparts in this emerging class for more hardened targets.
The cruise missile can be launched from an equally simple launcher that can be stored in 20 ft containers (Potentially allowing shipborne use) or carried openly by 6x6 trucks. Crossbow powered by PBS TJ100 turbojet and carrying a 300 kg payload can reach a range of 800+ km and a speed of 600 km/h.
The idea of making simpler cruise missiles has birthed many new designs, ranging from “as light as an anti-tank missile” to “weighing as much as a light aircraft”, with the common goals of retaining stand-off range at lower costs. MBDA’s Crossbow is one example of this idea. With the starting point being Ukraine, multiple countries have started adopting the idea that can be fitted into the requirements. Thus, the problem of expenditure overtaking production with the high-end cruise missiles like Storm Shadow or Tomahawk can be overcome by allocating less capable or lower priority targets to the cheaper missiles.
Author: Kaan Azman
Editor:Özgür Ekşi
