France-Led Project to Procure 1,500 Mistral 3 Missiles for European Defense

A France-led initiative to acquire 1,500 Mistral 3 ground-to-air defense missiles was announced among five projects selected by the European Commission on November 14, the French   General Directorate of Armaments (DGA) announced today.

The project, under the European Defence Industry Reinforcement through Common Procurement Act (EDIRPA), aims to enhance air and missile defense across nine European nations, including Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Hungary, Romania, Spain, Slovenia, Denmark, and France.

The DGA in France is overseeing the acquisition, which will be conducted in collaboration with MBDA, a European missile systems manufacturer. This joint procurement seeks to improve the interoperability and security posture of participating nations amid evolving airspace threats.

This framework builds on earlier cooperation, formalized in an agreement signed on June 19, 2024, during the Eurosatory trade fair. By aggregating resources and fostering transparency, EDIRPA projects like this aim to address shared security challenges while maintaining a sustainable defense ecosystem.

The Mistral 3 missile, developed by MBDA, is a very short-range, ground-to-air defense system. It operates in a "fire and forget" mode, meaning operators can engage targets without further guidance after launch. Its agility and speed make it suitable for intercepting a range of threats, including fighter jets, helicopters, drones, and cruise missiles.

Weighing under 20 kilograms and measuring less than two meters in length, the missile is portable.