MBDA marks production of 2,000th MISTRAL 3 missile as european orders surge
Paris, July 2025 – European missile manufacturer MBDA has reached a major production milestone with the delivery of its 2,000th MISTRAL 3 missile, underscoring both the system’s growing popularity and MBDA’s ramped-up production capabilities amid heightened global demand for modern air defence systems.
To commemorate the event, MBDA hosted a special ceremony attended by representatives from France’s Direction Générale de l’Armement (DGA) and the French Army’s Simulation and Operational Readiness unit (SIMu), during which a mock-up of the versatile missile was presented.
The MISTRAL 3, the latest evolution of a missile family first introduced in the early 1990s, has proven itself adaptable to modern battlefield threats. Designed as a Very Short Range Air Defence (VSHORAD) system, the MISTRAL 3 operates in a “fire-and-forget” mode and boasts high manoeuvrability and supersonic speed, enabling rapid interception of a wide range of aerial threats, including aircraft, helicopters, drones, cruise missiles, Fast Inshore Attack Craft (FIAC), and loitering munitions.
“Reaching the 2,000th MISTRAL 3 missile produced demonstrates MBDA’s robust capacity to scale up production in response to the increasing demands of European and global defence markets,” the company said in a statement. Thanks to significant investments since 2022, MBDA has quadrupled its MISTRAL production capacity.
The missile’s capabilities have been further validated through combat operations and have positioned it as a key element in European defence cooperation. Under the European Defence Industry Reinforcement through common Procurement Act (EDIRPA), nine European nations are set to acquire a total of 1,500 MISTRAL 3 missiles through the DGA, strengthening Europe’s integrated air defence and contributing to broader rearmament efforts across the continent.
The milestone reflects not only the missile’s technological resilience but also MBDA’s expanding role as a critical player in ensuring Europe’s defence readiness amid evolving security challenges.
SOURCE: MBDA
