Article Posted on : - Jun 24, 2015

RBS15 Mk3 being test fired. A Diehl Defence photo

UBERLINGEN, GERMANY (BNS): An advanced version of the German-Swedish anti-ship missile RBS15 has achieved qualification following a successful operational test firing from a German Navy warship.

The test launch of the RBS15 Mk3 missile was conducted from the German Navy's new K130 class corvette "Magdeburg" at a test site in the Swedish territorial waters at the end of April.

The test involved entire performance of the missile, ranging from target assignment, mission planning to missile launch and striking the target, Diehl Defence announced on June 10.

Diehl Defence was selected to supply the RBS15 Mk3 anti-ship missile as the main armament for the German Navy's K130 class corvettes in 2004. The missile was formally handed over to the Navy in 2011.

Jointly developed by Diehl Defence and Sweden's Saab, the RBS15 Mk3 is an advancement of the Mark 2 version which has proved its worth with the Swedish and other navies.

The RBS15 Mk3 is capable of engaging naval targets as well as land targets.

Besides Germany, the Polish and Swedish Navies are among the European customers for the new missile.