France's Hellfire Successor AKERON LP Succeeds in New Launch From Tiger Helicopter

France completed a fourth successful MBDA AKERON LP missile firing from a Tiger attack helicopter at the DGA flight-test centre in Cazaux on September 25, 2026. Conducted under the OCCAR-managed MAST-F programme, the trial examined missile separation in the helicopter's aerodynamic environment and included a lock-on-before-launch engagement configuration. The long-range air-to-surface missile is intended for integration with the future Tiger MkIII and is designed for precision attack against armoured and other targets. The successful launch advances the integration and qualification campaign; it does not mean the missile has entered operational service with French helicopter units.