New submarine-launched SM40 Exocet missile

At Euronaval 2024, MBDA unveils a new member in the world famous Exocet family of anti-ship missiles. The new variant, designated SM40 by the company, is a cut-down version of the latest ship-launched MM40 Block 3c modified for encapsulated launch from a submarine torpedo tube.

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MBDA says the proposed development, which would succeed the legacy SM39 in the Exocet family portfolio, has arisen from discussions with the Direction générale de l'armement and the French Navy, while also reflecting demand from Naval Group for a new sub-launched anti-ship cruise missile to support export submarine sales.

According to MBDA, SM40 would adapt the MM40 Block 3c baseline for submarine launch, but introduce design changes in order to use the same encapsulation as SM39 and so reduce development and integration costs. To achieve this, SM40 would marry the Safran TR-40 turbojet engine and avionics package of Block 3c with a shortened airframe so that the weapon can fit inside the torpedo tube launch capsule. The missile wings would also be modified for encapsulation.

The smaller airframe reduces fuel capacity relative to the ship-launched MM40 Block 3/3c. However, MBDA believes that SM40 will still achieve a range of 120 km, which is double that of its predecessor. Furthermore, SM40 will maintain the existing SM39 launch envelope, which includes the ability to launch from deep.

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[joso]

Excellent upgrade !! The Exocet family keeps up with its legend.

[alexis_ianf]

Perfect weapon for the Export-oriented Scorpene-class submarine and the French Navy Suffren (Baracuda)-class submarines.

[kindnuguz]

Thank you MBDA for your continued support

[topgreen]

The target model is type 55 destroyers of china's pla navy ship😊this is perfect for ph navy naval group submarine for ph navy

[dutch]

The French Power !!! MBDA !!! 💪 🇫🇷 👍 😘

[TheGreatMarathaArmy]

120KM Range is going to be Indian Navy's Next Generation Anti-ship missile for SCORPENE CLASS Submarines.

[dykatran]

That target ship looks like a Type 055 destroyer.

[DanielBordas-hm]

Thankyou for the Good Description, , , , unfortunately you didn't give me a price? My Country may be interested...😊

[CardSharkOfficial]

What is the rationale and the benefit behind shortening the missile compared with the surface-surface model? From what I get even the MM40 is still significantly smaller than a MdCN, which fits just fine in the same sort of phase change capsule, and into the ammo berths aboard the submarine. I understand the expected use it as a defenive short-ish range system, but woulnd't it be better to have the option to launch them at targets further away when the sub wants to?

[ArnaudMEURET]

We (France) are a peace-loving country. People, please don't do anything stupid with the toys we make.

[Teipd]

Un missile qui a démontrer sa redoutable efficacité en combat réel

[oteliogarcia]

"It's a famous anti-ship missile"

you don't say

[ziongite]

What the heck? Why is the range so small? Sorry but that's an issue, when creating a submarine launched anti-ship missile, you should be aiming for around a 500km range, this enables satellite detection of a very distant surface ship, and such information to be relayed to a snorkel depth submarine via its antenna (possibly in a relayed fashion). Enabling the submarine to fire off an anti-ship missile even when it is at a 500km range from the ship.
When your missile's range is only 140km, you have to get at least that close before you can even have a shot at the surface ship, this adds an intense limitation to your submarine capability.

As far as anti-ship missile technology, I think Taiwan maybe perfected the idea with the Hsiung Feng 3, basically sea skimming is a known concept to evade detection while the missile is beyond the hump of earth curvature, however at some point it will become visible, so that really starts the true window of possible interception by the ship's systems, in typical subsonic systems they will be detected around 20km out, and typically travelling at 300 metres per second it gives a detection and interception time of around 66 seconds, this window is enough for most modern ships with a well trained crew to perform detection and interception, therefore a common subsonic anti-ship missile like the Harpoon is unlikely to strike the target.

However with the Hsiung Feng 3, it rapidly accelerates in the last phase of flight, essentially to reduce the time that it becomes visible to the ship and strikes the ship. Essentially it accelerates up to 1200 metres per second, meaning that once it is detected at around 20km out, the enemy ship only has around 17 second to detected and intercept, which most times isn't enough time, meaning the HF-3 missile will strike the ship. The extended range version of this missile has a 400km range.

Another good missile is the newer upgraded types of the Japanese SSM 12, I think called SSM 17 in the naval area. The Japanese are also developing it into a submarine launched weapon as well, which you can read about from their ministry of defence budget. This missile also is sea skimming, and it has a huge range for an anti-ship missile. The speed is classified, some sources state mach 2.5 at a guess and others as mach 4 as a guess, either way it goes into supersonic speeds, it even has one advantage over the Taiwanese HF-3 as well, that the SSM 12 has an advanced design and coating to reduce RCS, so they have really pulled out all the options for that missile.

Europe need to get properly serious about their missile development for the naval sector, many allies around the world would like Europeans to turn up and help them during war, particularly in Asia. However, how are European ships going to fare against Chinese ships when the European missile ranges as so short? It's not good to be in a situation where your enemy can strike you, but you can't strike them yet.
The European joint venture programs need to create a common missile that has at least characteristics similar to Taiwan's HF-3, meaning Europe need to create a missile with a range of around 400km, that stays at a low sea skimming altitude only 4 metres above the water in a subsonic stage, then when around 30km out start mass acceleration for terminal phase to hit around 1200 metres per second once the missile becomes visible. The chance that a Chinese ship can react in detection, tracking, and interception all inside 17 seconds is impossible, the only possible navy that could react in time is a navy with a SeaPhalanx set in automatic mode (they aren't set in that mode outside of a time of active war, but they should be set in that mode during a time of war, only the USA and some of its allies have this weapon, which is a robotic CIWS system which can react in fact within a mere 3 seconds to a new target). China created some knock-off type system, but there is no way it would work truly at the level of the real Phalanx.

[Licanray-qu]

Pienso que un misil con un alcance de 120 kms no es una arma de auto defensa del submarino. Porque enviar a un helo a esa distancia para destruir un submarino es mejor evadir el contacto.

[Erik-rphi]

Well don't sell them to Argentina.

[Nainara]

Stephan asserts that the missile is designed for the next 30 years, but I wonder if the detection part of ASW will increasingly become the domain of semi-attritable drones saturating the ocean hotspots in the next couple of decades.

[gorkarullan]

Spain should buy some dicents of this... ythis look better then teh harrpon

[LeonAust]

Its not stealth and is radar guided thus can be electronic counter measured.
What is needed is stealth passive IR guidance, AI intelligence and RF guided like the Norwegian Anti ship missile NSM Mk 2 and the LRASM Long Range Antiship Missile.
Truly superior missile systems and LRASM doubles the range of this missile, LRASM is currently being to fitted into Mk 41 VLS.
Any anti ship missile that relies on none stealth design features and active radar for guidance without AI ship identification as to where to hit that targeted ship is dated, let alone self awareness if its being tracked thus reacts to adjust high/course and is within a network centric environment is dated.
An advanced ships ECM system like NULKA system will fool this thing.

[hourbee]

Are there any American made components in that thing?

[CC-nsds]

I’m sure the French language is just 80% 🤌🇫🇷