The system, known as SL-ASRAAM, adapts the Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missile for surface launch. MBDA said the approach offers an agile, lower-cost and immediate solution for mobile SHORAD missions.
The company linked the offer to a changing threat environment. It cited advanced combat aircraft and the rapid spread of unmanned aerial systems as drivers of demand for flexible ground-based air defence.
SL-ASRAAM is designed to connect with wider battlefield networks. MBDA said its interfaces support integration into a broader Integrated Air and Missile Defence architecture.
The main industrial argument is speed. By using mature ASRAAM technology and existing production lines, MBDA said it can avoid much of the development risk tied to a new missile programme.
The company said recent conflicts have moved faster than normal procurement cycles. It described SL-ASRAAM as a capability available now, not a future concept waiting for long-term development.
Mobility is central to the offer. MBDA said static air-defence positions face higher risk because slow relocation can make them vulnerable.
SL-ASRAAM is therefore built around mobile short-range air-defence use. The missile can be integrated into vehicle-mounted systems to support quick-reaction air defence at speed.
MBDA said the system is already being used in theatre in this type of role. The company described the model as a way to turn a high-performance missile into a mobile shield for deployed forces and high-value assets.
Cost is another part of the pitch. MBDA said SL-ASRAAM offers a lower-cost alternative to heavier and more complex air-defence systems without giving up interception performance.
The company said the design and launch mechanism reduce ownership costs and logistics demands. That could allow operators to field more interceptors across a wider defended area.
MBDA is presenting SL-ASRAAM as a supplement to layered air defence, not a replacement for larger systems. The Farnborough display gives the company a platform to market a mature missile adapted for urgent ground-based air-defence needs.
