CAZAUX / PARIS — The French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA), tactical missile manufacturer MBDA, and the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR) have successfully conducted the fourth test launch of the AKERON LP (Long Range) anti-tank / tactical air-to-surface missile. The firing was executed on September 25, 2026, at the DGA Flight Test Centre (DGA Essais en Vol) in Cazaux, southwest France.
The trial represents the second launch from a Airbus Tiger attack helicopter platform and a critical validation milestone for the MAST-F (Missile Air-Sol Tactique Futur) programme managed by OCCAR. Designed to equip the upcoming Eurocopter Tiger MkIII upgrade as well as uncrewed aerial systems (UAS), the test successfully demonstrated clean missile separation under complex aerodynamic downwash and rotor-induced disturbances.
During the test sequence, the seeker’s uncooled imaging guidance system was engaged prior to release under a Lock-On Before Launch (LOBL) profile, tracking and defeating the designated target while validating network-enabled target designation and sensor-to-shooter handoff interfaces.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS: MBDA AKERON LP (MAST-F PROGRAMME)
* System Designation: AKERON LP (Formerly MMP/MHT – Missile Haut de Trame) / MAST-F Programme
* Primary Role: 5th-Generation Long-Range Tactical Air-to-Surface Missile / Anti-Armor & Precision Strike
* Integration Platforms: Eurocopter Tiger MkIII Attack Helicopter, MALE UAVs (Eurodrone), Tactical Tactical Ground Platforms
* Physical & Dimensional Metrics:
* Missile Weight: <40 kg (<88 lbs)
* Canister Dimensions: 1.7 m length x 150 mm diameter
* Multi-Laucher Pod Configuration: Up to 4 missiles per pylon station on Tiger MkIII
* Performance & Operational Range:
* Engagement Range: 8 km to 20 km (depending on altitude, release velocity, and line-of-sight mode)
* Flight Speeds: High subsonic cruise
* Seeker & Guidance Suite:
* Multi-Mode Homing Architecture: Dual-band TV/Uncooled Infrared (IR) imaging seeker + Semi-Active Laser (SAL) seeker
* Engagement Modes: Lock-On Before Launch (LOBL), Lock-On After Launch (LOAL), and Third-Party Targeting Designation via Off-Board Sensors (UAVs / Forward Observers)
* Data Link: Bi-directional radio frequency (RF) data link enabling real-time image feed back to cockpit, man-in-the-loop target re-designation, and mission abort capabilities
* Warhead Package: Multi-purpose tandem-charge High-Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT) warhead capable of defeating explosive reactive armor (ERA), hardened concrete structures, and naval surface targets
