European missile systems manufacturer MBDA is launching an interceptor missile designed to repel attacks involving large numbers of cheap munitions such as drones. The wars in Ukraine and the Middle East have exposed the limitations of traditional air defense systems against mass-produced threats, Reuters reports.

The Counter Mass Interceptor, which will be officially unveiled at the Farnborough Airshow in England, offers European armies and NATO forces a new means of defense against waves of low-cost weapons.

“Today, Europe does not have its own sovereign system capable of dealing with saturation attacks,” an MBDA representative said in an interview with Reuters. “This means that to neutralize such a threat, we are forced to rely on non-European systems — whether American, Israeli, or others.”

For these purposes, the United States uses systems such as the APKWS (Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System) precision-guided rocket, produced by BAE Systems together with the American corporations Northrop Grumman and General Dynamics.

Armed forces around the world are facing the difficult economics of modern warfare: intercepting a cheap drone often requires launching a missile that costs many times more than the target itself. This raises serious concerns both over financial costs and the depletion of ammunition stockpiles.

The first interceptor, aimed at destroying small drones, is later planned to be complemented by a second, longer-range version. It will be capable of operating in all weather conditions and engaging both drones and a broader range of threats: unguided rockets, glide bombs, and subsonic cruise missiles.

MBDA noted that at this stage the program’s development is being led by the company’s British divisions, although subsequent modifications will most likely be created under the leadership of French specialists.

The initial version of the interceptor will become available as early as 2028.

According to the group, production of the system can be organized either with the involvement of industrial partners or directly at MBDA’s own facilities using existing and repurposed production lines.

“We are moving closer to a model used in the automotive industry. Our goal is to ensure the possibility of large-scale serial production,” the company representative added.