MBDA
Missile systems design, development, manufacturing
Mechanical Engineer
Five days on-site per week are required.
About the job
- A minimum HNC in Mechanical Engineering (or relevant alternative) and extensive experience with the requirements below, with demonstrated experience as a technical lead.
- Proven practical experience in dimensional calibration using micrometers, DTI’s, verniers, plug/thread gauges, ring gauges, sine bars, sine tables, surface tables, and surface plates.
- A strong understanding of measurement uncertainty.
- Experience creating technical documentation and instructions.
- British citizenship or dual United Kingdom nationality with British citizenship is required.
- Successful candidates must undergo HMG Basic Personnel Security Standard checks after the offer stage.
- Deliver mechanical and dimensional calibration for Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) and Special to Type Test Equipment (STTE), and create and maintain instruction sets and requirements.
- Lead inspection activities, including updating Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM) measurement programmes and providing feedback to key stakeholders.
- Provide day-to-day dimensional calibration and inspection support for manufacturing teams, fixtures, and tooling.
- Act as a key technical point of contact for dimensional calibration and inspection queries within manufacturing.
- Contribute to the evolution of measurement methods, processes, and repeatability.
- Support pressure calibration activities where required.
- A strong working knowledge of GD&T.
- Experience with CMMs (operation and basic programme creation or modification).
- Experience calibrating torque tools to ISO6789-2:2017.
- Pressure calibration experience.
- A background in manufacturing, defence, aerospace, or other highly regulated environments.
- Experience providing technical support within a fast-paced production setting.
About the company
MBDA designs, builds, and supports missiles and complex weapon systems for governments. It works with national armed forces on long-term contracts that cover the full lifecycle, from design and manufacturing to customer support and demilitarization. Its product line includes air-to-air missiles like Meteor and MICA, surface-to-air systems such as Aster and CAMM, air-to-surface weapons like Storm Shadow/SCALP and Brimstone, and anti-ship missiles such as Exocet and Sea Venom, with future tech in hypersonic cruise missiles, loitering munitions, and directed energy weapons like DragonFire. MBDA stands out as a single integrated European defense entity owned by Airbus, BAE Systems, and Leonardo, serving multiple NATO-aligned nations and exporting to over 90 countries, focusing on long-term partnerships and full lifecycle support to help client nations maintain national security and strategic independence through sovereign missile capabilities.
Company Size
5,001-10,000
Company Stage
N/A
Total Funding
N/A
Headquarters
Le Plessis-Robinson, France
Founded
2001
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- MBDA France won Malaysia’s VL MICA contract on July 23 2026 for LCS air defense.
- MBDA and GA-ASI signed a July 31 2026 MOU to arm MQ-9B and Gambit 6.
- MBDA expected 40% production growth in 2026, driven by demand for air defense missiles.
What critics are saying
- Reuters reported March 26 2026: €1 billion stockpiling before contracts strains cash and execution.
- FT reported April 14 2025: €37 billion backlog and Aster bottlenecks mean seven-year fulfillment.
- Export controls and national politics can freeze programs overnight; Malaysia’s NSM dispute showed that brutally.
What makes MBDA unique
- Airbus, BAE Systems, and Leonardo back MBDA, preserving European sovereign missile capacity.
- MBDA’s GCAP SEPs deal with Mitsubishi, signed July 23 2026, entrenches cross-border integration.
- DragonFire and SPEAR integration show MBDA pairs missiles with airframes and autonomous platforms.
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Benefits
Performance Bonus
Hybrid Work Options
Flexible Work Hours
Parental Leave
Adoption Assistance
Fertility Treatment Support
Meal Benefits
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
Health Insurance
Wellness Program
Mentorship Program
Company News
British Army moves to restore long-range anti-tank strike. September 16, 2026 The British Army is moving to restore a beyond-line-of-sight anti-armour capability more than 30 years after Swingfire left service, with MBDA and Thales awarded contracts to explore a new weapon system, Defence Readiness and Industry Minister Luke Pollard has announced. Discover more Ministry of Defence Defence companies Speaking at DVD 2026, Pollard said the work would examine technologies for a weapon able to engage armoured targets beyond direct line of sight, improving the ability of British land forces to strike from greater distance while reducing their exposure on the battlefield. He said: "And thirdly, I can also announce today that we have awarded contracts to MBDA and Thales to explore how we can develop the tech behind a new beyond-line-of-sight anti-armour weapon system, a capability that the British Army has not had since Swingfire, left service over 30 years ago, a capability that can drastically improve the ability of our land forces to strike and survive on the modern battlefield." Swingfire was a wire-guided anti-tank missile developed for the British Army and notable for its ability to turn sharply after launch, allowing the firing vehicle to remain concealed while the missile was guided onto a target from another position. Its withdrawal left the Army without an equivalent long-range ground-launched anti-armour system able to engage targets beyond direct line of sight, with more recent anti-tank weapons generally centred on shorter-range engagements. The new work with MBDA and Thales forms part of the Army's wider Recce Strike concept, which is intended to combine surveillance, targeting, drones, armoured vehicles and longer-range weapons into a more connected force. Pollard described the approach as being built around "better targeting, better battlefield surveillance and more lethal long range fire", with the aim of improving both the speed and effectiveness of targeting. The Government is committing more than £19 billion to land warfare capabilities over the next four years, alongside £11 billion for weapons and ammunition. That includes £190 million for short-range ballistic missiles, £400 million for inexpensive one-way attack drones and weapons, and £220 million for Project Nyx, which is intended to develop armed autonomous aircraft capable of operating alongside Apache attack helicopters. Another £370 million is being spent on Project Asgard, the digital command-and-control architecture supporting the Army's Recce Strike model. Pollard said: "That's about improving the lethality and delivering against CGS's 20:40:40 strategy, which has been baked into the Defence Investment Plan. Now, that will be collectively a higher resolution picture of the battlefield and increase the effectiveness and speed of our targeting." The new anti-armour work is also being tied directly to lessons from Ukraine, where long-range fires, drones and distributed targeting have changed how armoured forces are detected and engaged. Pollard said: "Now, these are just three procurements that will not only demonstrate how we're evolving operationally in response to the lessons from Ukraine, but they're programmes that demonstrate how we have reformed our procurement processes in response to what we've learned from our friends in Ukraine." Discover more Search Public Records Armed Forces recruitment British military history The MBDA and Thales contracts are therefore an early step towards restoring a capability absent from the Army for decades, while fitting into a wider effort to connect reconnaissance and long-range strike more closely across the land force.
SPEAR integration could turn India's MQ-9B SeaGuardian fleet into stand-off strike force. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI) and MBDA have announced a commitment to integrate MBDA's SPEAR precision-strike weapon with the MQ-9B remotely piloted aircraft, potentially opening a significant new capability for operators of the American High-Altitude Long-Endurance (HALE) platform. The agreement, announced at the Farnborough International Airshow 2026, covers work to enable the MQ-9B to carry and employ SPEAR. For India, the development is particularly significant because New Delhi signed a deal in October 2024 to acquire 31 MQ-9B SkyGuardian and SeaGuardian aircraft from GA-ASI. The fleet is intended primarily to provide persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, but the aircraft are being acquired as armed platforms, giving India the opportunity to expand their mission set as additional weapons become available. Indian military innovations MBDA describes SPEAR as a miniature air-launched cruise missile weighing less than 100 kg and measuring less than two metres in length. Its turbojet propulsion provides a range exceeding 100 km, while its multi-sensor seeker allows it to engage a broad range of targets. The weapon also incorporates a datalink that can allow target information to be updated during flight. If India were to eventually select SPEAR and obtain the necessary integration and government approvals for its MQ-9B fleet, the effect would be substantial. The MQ-9B would no longer be limited to finding and tracking targets for other aircraft and missile systems. It could potentially detect a target using its onboard sensors, transmit targeting information through the wider command-and-control network and launch a stand-off weapon without having to enter the immediate engagement zone of an air-defence system. The combination is particularly attractive because the MQ-9B's greatest advantage is endurance. Instead of using a fighter aircraft for every long-duration surveillance or strike mission, an armed MQ-9B could remain on station for extended periods and potentially prosecute suitable targets when authorised. SPEAR's relatively compact dimensions are also important because MBDA is developing a three-round external launcher for fourth-generation and uncrewed platforms, with certification targeted for 2027. Discover more Send Money Overseas Defense industry analysis BrahMos missile exports The weapon could therefore give India a new layer between traditional armed UAV weapons and larger air-launched cruise missiles. A high-endurance MQ-9B carrying multiple SPEAR missiles could potentially conduct precision attacks against selected fixed, mobile or relocatable targets while keeping the launch aircraft farther from hostile air-defence systems. MBDA specifically highlights SPEAR's beyond-horizon capability and its ability to attack moving and manoeuvring targets. However, SPEAR integration should not be interpreted as automatically converting India's MQ-9Bs into penetrating combat aircraft. The MQ-9B remains a relatively slow, non-stealthy aircraft and would remain vulnerable if forced to operate inside dense modern air-defence networks. Its value would instead come from persistence, sensor coverage and stand-off weapons, allowing it to contribute to a networked strike architecture without necessarily penetrating the defended zone. Build Custom Robots India's existing 31-aircraft MQ-9B programme could consequently evolve into a much broader capability if future indigenous and foreign weapons are integrated. With SPEAR added alongside the weapons already planned or available for the platform, the MQ-9B could increasingly function as a persistent ISR and precision-strike node rather than simply a surveillance drone.
MBDA, Poland's WITU join forces on Counter Mass Interceptor program. MBDA and Polish research institute WITU have agreed to collaborate on missile research for the Counter Mass Interceptor (CMI) program. The memorandum of understanding (MoU), signed at the MSPO 2026 defense trade fair in Poland, underpins the cooperation, which aims to deliver a fully Polish missile design and a low-cost, mass-producible capability for European allies to counter drone, helicopter, and cruise missile threats. Both parties completed a set of field trials this month, where the seeker's performance was tested against different representative drone target types at a test range in Poland. Following the test completion, the seeker will be integrated into a prototype missile that WITU designed. Further development and testing will continue ahead of an initial firing campaign planned for 2027. "Along with our cooperation on HYDIS, WITU is forming a strong relationship with MBDA to develop and embed Polish technologies into crucial European missile solutions," said WITU CEO Col. Paweł Sweklej. Counter Mass Interceptor. The 53-kilogram (117-pound) CMI is a supersonic missile that debuted at the Farnborough International Airshow in July. According to the company, MBDA UK will handle the program's initial development, while production could be handled internally or in collaboration with industrial partners. MBDA in Poland. "This cooperation demonstrates MBDA's commitment to Poland and expands on our strong support to Poland's world-leading layered air defense capability as we ramp up delivery of PILICA+ and unprecedented technology transfer on NAREW," said MBDA UK Managing Director Chris Allam during the MoU signing. PILICA+ functions as the inner tier of Poland's integrated layered air defense network, alongside the mid-tier NAREW and upper-tier WISLA systems. MBDA inaugurated its first industrial facility in Poland earlier this month to provide maintenance, support, and training for the PILICA+ program.
Hanwha Ocean selected as preferred bidder for Thailand's next-generation frigate program. * Published on 09/09/2026 * By Xavier Vavasseur * In News Hanwha Ocean, led by President and CEO Kim Hee-cheul, has been selected as the preferred bidder for the Royal Thai Navy's next-generation frigate procurement program. The selection is a procedural step toward discussing specific terms, including detailed technical specifications and the scope of the program, ahead of signing a final contract. Hanwha Ocean will conduct detailed negotiations with the Royal Thai Navy, and the final contract terms will be determined by the outcome of those negotiations. With its selection as the preferred bidder, Hanwha Ocean plans to strengthen the foundation for long-term naval defense cooperation with Thailand while continuing to expand business opportunities in the global surface combatant market, including Southeast Asia. In particular, during the forthcoming detailed negotiations, the company intends to carefully coordinate the terms needed to ensure reliable program execution and build a vessel that satisfies both the Royal Thai Navy and Hanwha Ocean. Through this process, it aims to secure optimal contract terms that maximize its naval shipbuilding competitiveness and program efficiency. The Royal Thai Navy previously stated in a public notice that it was proposing THB 16.73 billion (approximately KRW 683.3 billion) for the construction of one frigate and integrated logistics support. Hanwha Ocean competed for the program against defense companies from Spain, Singapore, Türkiye and other countries. The company was selected as the preferred bidder on the strength of its experience successfully delivering the first frigate, HTMS Bhumibol Adulyadej, to the Royal Thai Navy in 2018, along with its accumulated naval shipbuilding expertise. Active support from the Republic of Korea's Ministry of National Defense, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration and the Republic of Korea Navy also contributed to the selection. Trust between the two countries, built through sustained defense exchanges, also served as a foundation for advancing the program. These included exchanges and bilateral talks between the two navies, a port call in Thailand by the ROK Navy's Cruise Training Task Group, and the combined exercise Cobra Gold. Naval News comments: * ASFAT, * Hanwha Ocean, * Hyundai Heavy Industries, * Navantia, * ST Engineering, * TAIS. As Naval News reported during Defense & Security 2025 exhibition in Bangkok, the configuration of Hanwha Ocean's OCEAN-40F frigate for the Royal Thai Navy is unusual. For the first time, the Korean shipbuilder partnered with leading European suppliers. During the defense event, Hanwha Ocean signed memorandums of understanding with France's Naval Group to serve as combat management system and sensors integrator, and with MBDA for weapons integration. This partnership delivers a strike capability centered on MBDA's Exocet MM40 Block 3c anti-ship missiles, which offer both over-horizon engagement and coastal attack capabilities. The company also signed an MoU with Cohort Group, including collaboration on sonar systems, torpedo launcher systems, surveillance, targeting and fire-control systems as well as communications management. Based on the OCEAN-40F frigate scale model on display at Defense & Security 2025 and on the new images released this week by Hanwha Ocean, the future Royal Thai Navy frigate looks to be fitted with the following sensors: * TRS-4D radar * SeaEagle FCRO * SeaEagle FCEO-D * ES-3601 R-ESM The frigate's air defence is provided by a 16-cell vertical launch system equipped with MBDA's VL MICA NG surface-to-air missiles, and two SIMBAD RC launchers (forward and aft) add additional close-range air defense capability. The weapons suite is rounded out by a 76mm main gun,and two DS-30 Mk2 30mm remote weapon stations that serve dual purposes in both conventional surface warfare and emerging asymmetric threats. The frigate also appears to be fitted with four SYLENA decoy launchers by Lacroix. One of the illustrations shows a CAMCOPTER S100 VTOL UAV and some kind of USV alongside the frigate. It is not clear if these uncrewed systems are part of the upcoming deal. Based on the previously signed MoU, Naval News assume the Combat Management Systems is Naval Group's SETIS. Additional details are likely to become available once Thailand formally inks the deal for this frigate. Xavier Vavasseur. Xavier is the co-founder and editor-in-chief of Naval News. He is based in Paris, France. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Management Information Systems and a Master of Business Administration from Florida Institute of Technology (FIT). Xavier has been covering naval defense topics for over a decade.
MBDA expands support to Poland with first industrial facility. 8. September 2026 At a ceremony today (Monday 7th September) in Czosnow, MBDA has formally opened its first industrial facility in Poland. The new facility at Czosnow, which complements MBDA's corporate offices in Warsaw, will act as a service and technology centre for Poland. The opening of the site marks an historic milestone in MBDA's commitment to Poland and enhanced ability to support the Polish Armed Forces. It will enable faster and more direct maintenance, support and training for the PILICA+ programme, as well as enhance MBDA's ability to partner in new innovative ways with the Polish industry for future technology. MBDA opens a new industrial facility in Czosnow, Poland. The ceremony was attended by: Mr Bartosz Grodecki, Head of the Polish National Security Bureau; Pawel Zalewski, Secretary of State (Deputy Minister) at the Polish Ministry of National Defence; the UK Minister of State for Defence Readiness and Industry, Luke Pollard MP; Dame Melinda Simmons, HM Ambassador to Poland; Etienne de Poncins, French Ambassador to Poland; Luca Franchetti Pardo, Italian Ambassador to Poland. Commenting on the formal opening, MBDA CEO Eric Beranger, said: 'This new facility at Czosnow is the latest evidence of MBDA's unwavering commitment to the defence and security of Poland, and its investment in local capability. As Euro Sd further strengthen its partnership with Poland, its brand new facility will offer wide ranging employment opportunities for Poles, including engineers. It will also allow them to work on cutting edge European complex weapons technology. This new MBDA site will not only serve as a service centre but as a hub of technical innovation, that helps to ensure top-tier engineering talent is developed and maintained in Poland.' In an increasingly complex geopolitical climate, the ability to provide sovereign defence systems rapidly and independently is critical. By supporting near term maintenance of key launcher systems directly onto Polish soil however, MBDA is complementing this effort by bringing key capabilities closer to the critical user. This should enhance combat readiness and rapid response capabilities. Beyond logistics, the Czosnów facility is also designed to be a centre of technical excellence. By combining the MBDA Group's global expertise with Polish engineering talent, the centre can serve as the venue for collaborative new projects between the Polish Armaments Group, research and scientific centres, and MBDA specialists.