Morocco is preparing to receive the first Sherpa vehicles equipped with Mistral 3 air defense missiles

Morocco is preparing to receive the first Sherpa vehicles equipped with Mistral 3 air defense missiles. The vehicles contain the Atlas RC automatic launch system.

The Moroccan army plans to receive the first Sherpa vehicles in the coming months from the French company “Renault”, which are equipped with the “Atlas RC” anti-aircraft defense system based on the Mistral 3, the most advanced version of MBDA.

The vehicle with the Atlas RC system for automatic launch of the Mistral missile is on display at the stand of the European Missile Consortium at the Paris Air Show, which is taking place this week in the French capital.

The Atlas RC consists of a remote launcher with four Mistral missiles that can rotate 360 ​​degrees and a heat vision camera as the main components.

The system receives the threat notification from the command center and starts monitoring automatically. In the case of the Moroccan version, the vehicle can carry eight Mistral missiles, in addition to four ready-to-fire missiles in the system itself.

Atlas RC provides high mobility for air defense units. It also has a communications antenna and a search system. Day/night sensors allow operation in any situation and track shots and targets.

The Mistral-3 missile is a medium-range anti-aircraft missile developed by the French company Matra for Military Industries. It is considered the third version of the Mistral series of missiles used by the air defense forces in several countries.

The Mistral 3 missile is characterized by its ability to target helicopters and small jet aircraft at a distance of up to 6 km and a height of up to 5 km. The missile operates with an infrared guidance system and is launched from mobile launch systems on armored vehicles or from fixed ground platforms.

The missile has high accuracy and the ability to meet challenges related to electronic interference and achieve certain hits on air targets. Mistral-3 missiles are widely used in the armed forces and air defenses of several countries around the world.

The Mistral 3 missile is based on infrared homing technology, as it tracks thermal radiation emanating from the target and targets it with high accuracy. The missile is launched from various launch systems, such as shoulder, vehicles and ships, and is used in the armed forces for air defense and countering air threats.