Unique Cooperation between Leading Missile Defense Industries

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Defense corporations MBDA Missile Systems and Lockheed Martin announced a new joint venture, TLVS, to pursue the next generation Integrated Air and Missile Defense System, for the German Armed Forces. The TLVS / MEADS (Medium Extended Air Defense System) is a ground-based air defense system for short and medium ranges. It is used to protect population centers and troops in action. The system is suitable for defense against tactical-ballistic short-range and medium-range missiles, combat aircraft, helicopters, drones and cruise missiles. The system offers 360-degree all-round protection.

TLVS will leverage the development results and experiences from the $4 billion investment of the trilateral MEADS program (U.S., Germany and Italy) and deepen the U.S. – European partnership through a continued, shared commitment to local industry, safety and security, according to prnewswire.com.

An open system architecture and plug and fight capability make it possible, depending on the threat situation, to connect and control additional radars and launchers to the MEADS operations center, according to defenseworld.net. In addition, it is also possible to connect missiles that act in the upper interception area or systems that are intended for near and far-range protection.

TLVS / MEADS is mobile and can be laid with the transport aircraft A400M. It will also include other components that were not part of MEADS. These include, among other things, the integration of the IRIS-T SL time-of-flight missile and the SAMOC guidance system.