European defense company MBDA plans to hire more than 2,500 new employees and double its missile production in 2025, according to a report by Hartpunkt.

The announcement was made during the company’s annual press conference in Paris by MBDA CEO Eric Beranger.

He stated that in 2024, MBDA secured orders totaling €13.8 billion, with the group’s outstanding order backlog reaching approximately €37 billion.

Beranger also revealed plans for further expansion of production capacity this year. “Compared to 2024, the production of new missiles will double.”

He emphasized that Europe has all the necessary capabilities to develop guided missiles. In his view, it is crucial to establish a so-called Design Authority in Europe. This would allow the deployment, development, and adaptation of weapon systems without needing permission or information from third parties.

As an example, he pointed to the Storm Shadow/SCALP cruise missiles, which were adapted to Ukrainian Su-24 aircraft in a short period of time.

The company is currently purchasing equipment and hiring new staff to ramp up production. By the end of 2025, MBDA plans to hire around 2,600 new employees, bringing its total workforce to 19,000.

However, Beranger acknowledged that the expansion of the workforce is primarily constrained by the company’s own capacity. Employees who will be training new personnel will also need to continue production. Over the next five years, Beranger expects the company to invest approximately €2.4 billion within the group.

MBDA Missiles

The company manufactures a wide range of missiles, from anti-tank systems like the AKERON to cruise missiles such as Storm Shadow/SCALP.

MBDA currently produces the following air-to-ground missiles: Storm Shadow/SCALP, Brimstone, Taurus KEPD 350; air-to-air missiles: Meteor, ASRAAM, MICA (IR and RF); anti-aircraft missiles: CAMM, ASTER 15, ASTER 30, VL MICA; and anti-ship missiles: Exocet (MM40 Block 3), MARTE ER, Naval Strike Missile.

Currently under development are the next-generation Taurus missiles, FC/ASW (the successor to Storm Shadow/SCALP), and the hypersonic interceptor missile Aquila.