Paris DGA Certifies First Delivery of Block-3 Exocet Missiles

PARIS - The Direction Générale de l'Armement (DGA) has certified and accepted delivery of the first units of the Block 3 version of the surface-to-surface Exocet MM40 anti-ship missile from MBDA, the French procurement office said Dec. 22 in a statement.
"The Block Three version seeks to maintain at the highest level the operational capacity of the MM40, by doubling its range and permitting it to strike targets in the coastal zone," the DGA said.

On Dec. 6, the DGA qualified the new version of the missile and the quality department took delivery of the first four units 10 days later.
A first batch of 45 MM40 Block Three missiles is due for delivery to the French Navy by mid-2013.
The DGA ordered the missiles in December 2008 from MBDA. The weapons will initially arm the two Horizon air defense frigates, the Forbin and Chevalier Paul, and will go on to equip the FREMM multi-mission frigates currently being built for the French Navy by naval systems company DCNS