France and Sweden are set to further their partnership around MBDA’s Akeron MP anti-tank guided missile. 

Specifically, Sweden and France have signed a bilateral framework agreement to cooperate on a new anti-tank system. 

A framework arrangement has been signed between #MBDA and @Saab. This is accompanying the Franco/Swedish ambition for the acquisition of the medium range AKERON MP system and the development of future #capabilities. 1/5 pic.twitter.com/uZJoU2Sl6C

— MBDA (@MBDAGroup) April 18, 2023

The agreement, which enables joint studies, acquisitions, and development,  is a conclusion to a project that started in July 2017, when the FMV (Swedish Defence Materiel Administration) issued a tender for the procurement of a new anti-tank missile system, known as RBS 58. On that basis, Akeron MP will be selected as the RBS 58 in the Swedish service, replacing the RBS 55, which is the Swedish designation for BGM-71 TOW anti-tank missile.

The tender concluded with the signing in July 2021 of a Letter of Intent (LoI) between the French and Swedish governments represented by the DGA and the FMV to jointly develop a new anti-tank missile for the Swedish Armed Forces based on MBDA’s Akeron MP, previously known as Missile Moyenne Portee, which was originally developed as a replacement for the MILAN anti-tank missile in French service.

Also read: AKERON | Under the sign of European cooperation

Following the LoI, the integration of the Akeron MP with a range of Swedish Armoured vehicles, including the CV 90 Infantry Fighting Vehicle, and the firing of Akeron MP from these vehicles, was successfully demonstrated in the autumn and winter of 2022.

At this point, it is recalled that such field trials took place by MBDA within the framework of the European Defence Industrial Development Program (EDIDP) LynkEUs in Cyprus on September 28-29 using the full configuration of the system being developed with BLOS capabilities (Beyond Line of Sight).

Also read: MBDA | Successful firings with AKERON MP of the LynkEUs program in Cyprus – VIDEO

MBDA mentioned that the combination of the expertise, skill sets, and resources of MBDA and SAAB in the Ground Combat domain will ensure that the AKERON MP weapon system and its training solutions will evolve in line with today’s and future conflict requirements. According to the FMV, training with Akeron is planned to begin in Swedish units as early as 2023.

The Akeron MP was developed in the 2000s and entered production in 2014. The missile entered service with the French Army in 2017 and was used operationally for the first time in 2018. At the beginning of the year, France’s Directorate General of Armaments (DGA) announced on January 12 a further order for 200 Akeron MP medium-range anti-tank guided missiles from MBDA.

More details on the AKERON 5th generation tactical missile family can be found here.

Also read: DGA | MBDA’s AKERON LP missile to arm Eurodrone