BAE Systems’ Hägglunds CV90 infantry fighting vehicle has been equipped with Akeron MP missiles.
The French fifth-generation anti-tank guided missile system, the Akeron MP, is being operated and demonstrated in extreme climates. The system’s design includes the growth potential necessary for a future family of missiles for modern land combat. Entering French service from 2017 onwards, the Akeron MP was developed by MBDA France and is intended as a replacement for the MILAN and American-made FGM-148 Javelin.
In the latest development, BAE Systems’ Hägglunds CV90 infantry fighting vehicle has been equipped with Akeron MP missiles. The demonstration was carried out at a test site in Northern Sweden, in the presence of representatives of the Swedish Armed Forces. CV90 is a highly capable modern infantry fighting vehicle featuring an advanced integrated combat system linked to wider battlefield management systems. The combination of the Akeron MP and the proven CV90 combat system shows the potential to upgrade the firepower of this famous vehicle in winter combat conditions in the Nordic country.
The test conditions emphasize the successful combination of the CV90 IFV advanced combat system with the unique characteristics of the AKERON MP missile, which is capable of hitting armored targets at a distance of up to 4 km. During the tests, a small reconnaissance drone created through the LYNKEUS program operated alongside the AKERON missile and CV90 IFV. The manufacturer assures that such a combination makes it possible to defeat targets in difficult conditions, in particular in wooded areas or in the city outside the line of sight.
The AKERON MP missile is called tactical. It is designed to solve a wide range of combat tasks and not exclusively strike against armored targets, like anti-tank missiles. Missiles of this family are able to integrate with the ground, air, and sea-surface platforms. AKERON MP weighs 15 kilograms and has a length of only 1.3 meters in a container with a diameter of 140 mm. MBDA states that this missile has an effective firing range of over 4 kilometers with a fire-and-forget function. This means that the operator does not need to direct the missile to the selected target after launch.
A long-range, air-launched missile of the same family, the Akeron LP, is also in development. It is intended to equip the upcoming French Eurocopter Tiger MkIII attack helicopter.
