France has begun flight trials of the MBDA Scalp Naval sea-launched cruise missile.
The test firing of the MdCN (missile de croisiere naval), as the Scalp Naval is formally known by its customer, the French armaments agency DGA, took place at France’s missile range at Biscarrosse on May 28, but DGA only announced the event June 15.
The missile was fired from a vertical launcher which would be used for the operational application on the Fremm multipurpose frigate and the Barracuda submarine
France is looking to field 150 Scalp Navals on Fremm frigates starting in 2014, with the 50 submarine-launched weapons due to come into inventory in 2017.
source: *ttp://www.aviationweek.com/aw/blogs/defense/
The Navy Scalp derives from the Scalp-EG. It is propulsed by a TR50 turboengine and carries a 250kg warhead. It can reach a target at a range of over 1,000 km and thus could be used to destroy highly strategic targets deep in enemy territory.
source (in french :s): *ttp://www.opex360.com/2010/06/15/premier-tir-reussi-du-missile-de-croisiere-naval-mdcn/
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