The French MAMBA Ground-Based Air and Missile Defence system was tested in a simulated airstrike by Allied warplanes at an exercise on 23^rd November.

Deployed in Romania since May 2022, MAMBA strengthens NATO’s Integrated Air and Missile Defence (IAMD) system. Many warplanes participated to test included F-16s from Turkey, Spanish Eurofighters currently in Bulgaria for NATO mission, US E/A 18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft and French Navy Rafale warplanes from the Charles De Gaulle aircraft carrier.

NATO Spokesperson Oana Lungescu said: ‘’We continue to strengthen our deterrence and defence in the eastern region of the Alliance in response to Russia’s war against Ukraine. This includes significantly increasing our air defence with more fighter and surveillance aircraft on patrol, more land-based air defence systems, and ships with naval air defence capability. Exercises like this enable NATO forces to act together and be prepared to respond to any threat from any direction.’’

The Ground-Based Air and Missile Defence system, also called MAMBA by the French army is used as an anti-missile system designed to protect sensitive areas such as battlefields, airports and ports against cruise missiles, manned and unmanned aircraft and ballistic missiles.

NATO’s Integrated Air and Missile Defence System constantly protects Allied airspace. In addition to the French MAMBA system in Romania, Germany deployed Patriot missiles in Slovakia, the USA in Poland, and the Spanish deployed NASAMS systems in Latvia due to the Russia-Ukraine war.