MBDA To Construct Demilitarization Facility By 2013

MBDA has recently announced its intention to build a demilitarization facility that will become operational by the end of 2013. The facility will be capable of dismantling annually 2,500 tonnes of various types of sensitive munitions, notably missiles. It will permit the maximum recuperation of waste products which will be sorted, re-used or recycled in full accordance with French and European standards. Only those waste elements comprising energetic material will be incinerated in the thermic treatment unit. Antoine Bouvier, the Chief Executive Officer of MBDA, said that around 12 million euros had been invested into the creation of the facility. ”Customers are not only looking for guaranteed security of supply and support for their equipment, they are also recognizing more and more the need to ensure the necessary safe treatment of their complex weapons at the end of their service life. With this new industrial installation we are showing our desire to further reinforce the partner relationship that we have with our military customers”. MBDA is responding to France’s desire to establish an industrial capability for dismantling munitions at the end of their life and for this to be done on national territory in order to guarantee the protection of its product confidentiality while always respecting the safety and environmental norms linked with this activity, according to a company statement. This commitment was underlined in a contract calling for the destruction of 36,000 complex munitions between now and 2017, a contract which was won by MBDA in November 2011 following a tender issued by NSPA (NATO Supply Procurement Agency) at the request of the French Ministry of Defence, the statement added.