Matra BAe Dynamics has failed to uncover the cause of two consecutive test-launch failures of Indian navy Matra BAe Dynamics Sea Eagle anti-ship missile, finding no evidence of problems with the navy's missile stock.
The Indian navy tests of stock Sea Eagle missiles were carried out from a BAe Sea Harrier FRS51 earlier this year. The first launch resulted in the missile separating from the pylon, but the Microturbo TRI-60 turbojet failed to start successfully.
The missile, however, was not telemetred to provide data of the test firing. The Indian navy then took a second Sea Eagle from its stock, with similar unsuccessful results. The missile once again was without telemetry.
Matra BAe then sent engineering representatives to examine the remaining Sea Eagles, supplied to India over a decade ago, but failed to find any problem with the anti-ship missile which would account for the consecutive failures.
This may indicate that the cause of the failures was procedural, rather than the result of a common technical fault with the weapon. The Indian navy is understood to be working toward a further test launch of the missile.
Source: Flight International