The Marte Mobile Coastal Defence System (MCDS) is designed and built by MBDA, a European developer of missiles, to meet the needs of naval forces in modern combat missions. It was unveiled at the DIMDEX exhibition in Doha, Qatar, in March 2014.
The coastal defence system performs surveillance of maritime coastal traffic, monitors and captures imagery of sea lines of communication and identifies and detects hostile targets. It can counter and interdict the potential coastal threats in the territorial waters.
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The MCDS can be equipped with a new generation of Marte anti-ship missiles for destroying and neutralising suspicious vessels in littoral and blue waters. It can be deployed in standalone mode or as part of an existing surveillance radar network.
In May 2024, MBDA entered a contract with Romanian aerospace company IAR Brasov to facilitate the integration of the Marte extended range (ER) missile onto a maritime helicopter platform for the Romanian Naval Forces, specifically utilising the Airbus H215M platform.
Marte MCDS design and features
The Marte coastal defence system is based on the Marte anti-ship missile family, which includes Marte MK2/N, Marte MK2/S and Marte ER.
The Marte MCDS has a length of 3.6m, a maximum body diameter of 316mm, a weight of 340kg, a range of over 100km, and a high subsonic speed.
The MCDS is composed of the command-and-control (C2) module, the launcher module, and the logistics module. It offers two missile options, including the ship-launched Marte MK2/N and the helicopter-launched Marte ER. It is equipped with active surveillance equipment for monitoring enemy vessels, as well as a data link for receiving target data.
The launcher module consists of four firing units, which can be mounted on ISO standard trucks and deploy up to four missiles each. The logistics module features a logistic and support vehicle and a range of reloading vehicles.
The Marte defence system can be configured with different and flexible designs based on the customer’s requirements.
The system includes an integrated sensor module (radar, electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR), automatic identification system (AIS)) that enables autonomous operations when needed.
Missile guidance
The Marte anti-ship missile is guided with mid-course inertial navigation through waypoints and an active radar homing terminal.
Command-and-control (C2) unit details
The C2 module is housed in an ISO-standard, 12ft command and control shelter, which is connected to the upper-level surveillance system through a data link.
Consoles in the C2 module control and manage radar information when the missile system operates in stand-alone mode. The consoles are also used to track targets detected by the surveillance system in an integrated mode of operation.
Marte MK2 anti-ship missile
The Marte MK2 anti-ship weapon, developed by MBDA, can operate at high, supersonic speeds in all weather conditions.
It has fire-and-forget and sea-skimming capabilities. It measures 3.85m in length and 316m in diameter and has a maximum weight of 310kg. It is equipped with a semi-piercing high-explosive warhead, impact and proximity fuses.
It is a derivative of the Marte MK2/S helicopter-launched missile. Launched in October 2006, it can be equipped with a warship or a coastal battery to control brown waters in complex littoral operations. It has a range of more than 30km and can destroy fast-moving targets.
Marte ER anti-ship missile
The Marte ER anti-ship missile is the latest variant in the Marte missile family. It is intended to engage targets over a wide area of the sea. It is interoperable with the Marte Mk2/S missile. It was integrated into the NH90 NFH maritime helicopter at the 2014 Farnborough International Airshow.
The Marte ER missile is powered by a turbojet propulsion system. It can be flown at increased speed over an extended range of more than 100km. It also features the new ISO-calibre cylinder cell.
The Marte ER has a length of 3.6m, a maximum diameter of 316mm, a weight of 315kg, and a range of more than 100km.
Marte anti-ship missile orders
In March 2016, MBDA signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to provide the Qatar Emiri Naval Force (QENF) with a coastal defence system. This system can deploy two types of missiles including the Exocet MM40 Block 3 and the Marte ER.
In February 2017, MBDA secured a contract with the UAE Navy to deliver additional Marte MK2/N anti-ship missiles. The agreement follows a previous contract signed in February 2009 for the supply of Marte missiles.
