Akeron MP

The Akeron MP (Akeron Moyenne Portée), formerly known as MMP (French: Missile Moyenne Portée, lit. 'medium-range missile') is a French fifth generation man-portable anti-tank guided missile system. Featuring a fire-and-forget capability, it also integrates command guidance in both lock-on before launch (LOBL) and lock-on after launch (LOAL) firing modes for visible targets and non-line-of-sight use respectively. The latter two modes incorporate retargeting, i.e. the ability to redirect the missile in flight towards another target such as an unexpected threat or a new and more valuable enemy asset spotted, as well as aim point selection and mission abort features.

The Akeron MP entered operational service with the French army in 2018 and was developed by MBDA France to replace the Franco-German MILAN and American FGM-148 Javelin. Designed to primarily equip infantry units, this all-weather day and night system incorporates a multi-purpose missile with anti-tank, anti-infrastructure and anti-personnel selectable modes; it has a range of up to 5 km. The missile can also be integrated on combat vehicles or naval vessels, and is notably expected to arm French armoured vehicles such as the EBRC Jaguar, Griffon MMP and Serval MMP.

A long-range, air-launched missile of the same family, the Akeron LP (Akeron Longue Portée), is also under development. It is intended to equip the upcoming French Eurocopter Tiger MkIII.

Background

The MMP programme originated in 2009 to develop a successor to MBDA's forty-year-old MILAN. This was particularly in response to a French urgent operational requirement which had also led to the purchase of the US-made Javelin in 2010, rather than additional MILAN missiles; 260 Javelins were ordered because of the missile's fire-and-forget capability. MBDA's improved MILAN-ER offer was rejected because it lacked such a feature. The UK, previously a major user of the MILAN system, had also converted to Javelin.