Exocet: the French Navy’s most feared missiles
The Exocet AM-39 is a subsonic anti-ship “fire-and-forget” missile. With a range of approximately 70 km, it is guided by an inertial system during the cruise phase and then by active radar during the final kilometers. Also equipped with a high-precision radio altimeter, it can fly close to the water for greater stealth and can evade the latest proximity countermeasures by using deceptive trajectories. It carries a highly explosive fragmentation warhead designed to pierce a ship above its waterline. Widely produced, it is used by many countries. In France, it has been deployed on the Dassault Super-Étendard, SEM, Mirage, and Rafale aircraft, as well as on the Breguet-Dassault Atlantique 2.
In a world where maritime tensions are rising, certain weapons symbolize deterrence and precision more than ever. One of these, discreet but formidable, has been making its mark for several decades in the French Navy's arsenal. Originally developed in the 1970s by Aérospatiale, now part of the MBDA group, the Exocet is an autonomous anti-ship missile designed to strike enemy vessels at sea or near the coast with precision. Its name, which means “flying fish” in English, evokes its ability to fly just above the water's surface on a sea-skimming trajectory, thus evading enemy radar.
The first version, AM-39, entered service in 1979, followed by the MM38, MM40 and SM39 variants, intended for naval, air and submarine platforms respectively. The latest version, the MM40 Block 3c, has been approved by the French Defense Procurement Agency (DGA) since 2024 and is intended to equip France's front-line frigates, informed the French Ministry of the Armed Forces. With a range of over 200 km, a next-generation homing system designed by Thales, and all-weather firing capability, the Block 3c represents a major technological advance. It weighs 780 kg, is less than 6 meters long, and can be used against both sea targets and coastal installations.
The Exocet missile has become a symbol of French naval power and its ability to intervene rapidly in various maritime theaters. The strategic value of this weapon lies not only in its technical performance but also in its modularity. It is compatible with the French Navy's existing platforms, including the multi-mission frigates (FREMM), air defense frigates (FDA), and the new defense and intervention frigates (FDI).
The DGA placed an initial order in 2022 for 55 new missiles and 45 conversion kits to modernize previous models. This modernization demonstrates France's desire to maintain technological superiority in the field of naval armament in the face of growing threats. The manufacturers involved in the development of this missile include MBDA, for integration and production, and Thales for the radar seeker, reinforcing French expertise in military high technology.
Beyond its operational successes under the French flag, the Exocet missile has become an international benchmark in naval weaponry. Designed from the outset with exportability in mind, it has been sold to more than 30 countries, from the Middle East to South America and Southeast Asia. More than 3,600 units have been produced since the 1970s, making it one of the most widely used anti-ship missiles in the world. Its proven effectiveness in real-world conditions—notably during the Iran-Iraq War, the Gulf War, and in Yemen—has helped establish its reputation for reliability.
Notable users include the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, India, Qatar, Chile, and Indonesia. Each successive version, from the MM38 to the MM40 Block 3c, has been able to meet the technological constraints and geopolitical requirements of its buyers, while remaining compatible with a wide variety of platforms. The Exocet's adaptability to naval, air, and submarine launchers largely explains its export success, as do its controlled cost and its strike capabilities on the high seas and along coastlines. In a market where competition remains fierce, MBDA is pursuing its strategy of cooperation with local industrial partners to maintain the missile's presence in international tenders.
The Exocet is infamous for its use in the Falklands War in 1982, when Argentine AM-39 missiles sank two British ships, including HMS Sheffield. This conflict demonstrated the Exocet's ability to neutralize heavy targets despite enemy countermeasures, marking a turning point in modern naval warfare. More recently, the frigate Alsace successfully fired an Exocet MM40 Block 3c missile off the Mediterranean coast in September 2023 during a live-fire exercise. This was the first use of this new model by the French Navy, marking the entry into operational service of the Block 3c.
This type of demonstration is not only intended to test the technical capabilities of the weapon, but also to send a clear message about the responsiveness and effectiveness of the French armed forces in the face of any potential threat. The Exocet missile is not limited to an offensive role: it is a deterrent and a symbol of sovereignty, particularly in the Mediterranean, the Gulf of Guinea and the Indo-Pacific, where France maintains an active naval presence. Future versions could incorporate even more advanced improvements in terms of guidance autonomy, onboard artificial intelligence, and stealth capabilities. MBDA is already considering exporting Block 3c to strategic allies, particularly within the framework of multilateral defense agreements.
