The Airbus Helicopters Tiger Mk III rotorcraft will be armed with the newly-launched MBDA Akeron LP missile, Janes reported, citing an Airbus representative.
MBDA unveiled the Akeron LP and MP fifth-generation tactical missiles Wednesday, claiming they are a “quantum leap from the third and fourth generation weapons currently available on the market.”
The family of missiles comes with “high-resolution multi-band imagers, multi-effect warheads (anti-tank, anti-infrastructure, anti-personnel), data links, and multi-mode guidance algorithms based on AI techniques.”
These cutting-edge technologies allow the user to deal with a broader range of challenges with minimum risk of collateral damage. The missile has a range of up to 20 kilometers (12 miles).
Tiger Helicopter Upgrade
France and Spain recently signed a contract to upgrade their fleet of 42 and 18 Tiger attack helicopters to the Mk III standard, starting in 2029. Germany could join the program later.
The upgrades would include outfitting the aircraft with the Scorpion digital communication and battle management system, enabling real-time communication with other manned and unmanned platforms.
The aircraft would also be outfitted with additional weapons, including the MBDA MAST-F (Future Tactical Air-to-Surface Missile) and Mistral 3 air-to-air missile for the French version and 70mm guided rockets and a new air-to-ground missile for the Spanish version.
