The company said the tests demonstrate its ability to adapt to the current context and develop products differently and at pace. Crossbow progressed from design to demonstration in just nine months in 2025.
Crossbow has been developed through collaboration with partner small and medium-sized enterprises and prime contractors from the UK and Europe. The system uses a modular design and incorporates military and commercial off-the-shelf subsystems.
MBDA said its systems integration expertise, combined with this collaborative approach, supports rapid and scalable production. The company said production at scale is quickly achievable in 2026.
The successful firings are presented by MBDA as evidence of a different development approach. The company invested in designing and demonstrating a mature product ready for customers before any contract.
MBDA said Crossbow also reflects lessons from current conflicts. The company said the development pace, from drawing board to firing in under a year, was a significant achievement and reflected the work of all partners involved.
Crossbow forms part of MBDA’s wider strike portfolio. The company said it responds to the evolving threat environment and the drive for affordable mass in the deep strike battlespace.
The system is designed to balance capability, complexity, lower cost and scalable production. MBDA said this approach is intended to provide mass for armed forces.
The Crossbow OWE(H) design allows spiral development. This gives customers options to adapt survivability, range, lethality, navigation and platform integration according to their requirements.
MBDA said it is able to produce Crossbow in 2026 at scale and at pace. The company said the system reflects its commitment to investing in new solutions that complement its existing portfolio and address evolving security threats.
MBDA has already announced a significant production ramp-up to meet customer needs. In 2026, the company aims to increase production by 40% compared with 2025.
