Ukraine is already operating advanced French anti-tank missiles – Technology Org
The American Javelin anti-tank missiles have already proven their value in the war in Ukraine. However, these systems have been in use since 1996. Since then, weapons engineers in other countries have developed many interesting systems that are now also finding their way into the hands of the defenders of Ukraine.
France is going to replace its Javelin systems with their own Akeron MP. This weapon was introduced only in 2017, but France is not the only operator of it – Ukraine is already registered next to it.
Akeron MP has a range of up to 5 kilometers. It is man-portable, but can also be mounted on helicopters and other machines. Image credit: Kévin Aulas/French Army via Wikimedia
According to Jean-Louis Thiériot, vice-chairman of the National Defense and Armed Forces Commission of France, Ukrainian soldiers have already used Akeron MP anti-tank missile systems in combat. “France has transferred an unspecified number of anti-tank missile systems and missiles to Ukraine,” Thiériot said.
Today it is clear that the weapons being sent are good and effective. Caesar self-propelled guns, Mistral air defense system and Akeron MP are doing their job perfectly,” Thiériot added.
Akeron MP is a light multipurpose missile intended to destroy tanks and other armored equipment. It is a fifth generation anti-tank missile and entered service with the French Armed Forces in 2017. Akeron MP was developed by MBDA France with plans to replace the aging MILAN systems as well as the American FGM-148 Javelin. The latter is still regarded as one of the best man-portable anti-tank missiles in the world, which means that it should be replaced with something special.
Akeron MP is a man-portable complex intended for use by infantry. It can also be mounted on combat vehicles, ships and helicopters. The missile and its launcher weigh about 15 kg. The tripod and control devices add another 11 kg. The Akeron MP is a very light weapon that can easily be relocated by a couple of soldiers.
Akeron MP – French anti-tank guided missile, formerly known as MMP. Image credit: Kévin Aulas/French Army via Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Akeron MP has a combat range of up to five kilometers. The infrared optical guidance system of the missile allows it to be independently directed to the target. Akeron MP can work in different modes. For example, fire-and-forget mode allows soldiers to leave their positions as soon as the missile is launched.
It finds the pre-set target by itself or tracks it down using an infrared homing system. In this way, targets that are not directly visible (for example, are situated behind a hill) can be destroyed. The Akeron MP can also be controlled, which is especially useful when you need to fire a quick shot at moving targets.
It is unclear how many Akeron MP systems have been transferred to Ukraine, but there are only a few hundred of them in total. Ukraine needs a lot of anti-tank weapons, especially advanced systems capable of destroying waves of invading armour.
France is also developing a long-range Akeron LP system – it will be heavier and will be mounted on the Eurocopter Tiger helicopter.
Source: Focus.ua , Wikipedia