DSEI 2025: New Akeron MBT 120 Lets Tanks Engage Targets Beyond Direct Line of Sight.

MBDA, Europe’s leading missile manufacturer, used the DSEI exhibition in London to unveil the Akeron MBT 120, an anti-tank missile launched from a 120 mm tank gun and capable of engaging targets beyond line of sight. The development is based on lessons drawn from the war in Ukraine, where most tank engagements occur at short range and crews have improvised indirect fire with explosive shells.
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The Akeron MBT 120 operates in non-line-of-sight mode, receiving target coordinates from drones or forward observers before climbing and diving in a top-attack trajectory to strike the weakest points of armored vehicles. (Picture source: Army Recognition)

The Akeron MBT 120 represents a major innovation for Western armored forces. Loaded like a standard shell, it complies with NATO STANAG 4385 requirements and can be stored and handled in the same way as other 120 mm ammunition. Weighing around 20 kilograms and measuring 984 millimeters in length, it is fully compatible with existing racks and automatic loading systems. Unlike the gun-launched missiles used by Russia and Ukraine, which require laser guidance and expose the firing tank, the Akeron MBT 120 uses a non-line-of-sight mode. It can receive coordinates from drones or forward observers, then climb in altitude and follow a plunging trajectory to strike the target from above, focusing on the most vulnerable areas of armored vehicles.

Equipped with a passive electro-optical and infrared seeker, the missile is unaffected by laser-based countermeasures or active protection systems such as the Russian Shtora-1. Automatic target recognition algorithms ensure reliable acquisition once the missile reaches the target area. The fire-and-forget design allows the tank to move immediately after launch, reducing exposure to return fire. Its effective range, estimated at around five kilometers, exceeds the engagement distances typically observed in Ukraine, often below 1.5 kilometers.

The final choice of warhead has not yet been determined. MBDA is considering a single shaped charge, assessed as sufficient to defeat tanks such as the T-72 and T-80 when combined with the top-attack profile. Options under study include a fragmentation sleeve or a high-explosive fragmentation variant to increase flexibility against soft targets and infantry positions. Discussions are underway with several European warhead manufacturers, while the possibility of a British-made solution remains open.

The missile is also distinctive in its launch method. It uses a low-acceleration rocket motor, reducing mechanical stress, limiting barrel wear, and simplifying the internal design of the components. MBDA indicates that it will achieve low supersonic speeds. Integration with existing fire-control systems will require only a programming module, similar to that already in use for Rheinmetall’s DM11 programmable ammunition.

Initial demonstration firings are scheduled for 2026, with entry into service targeted one year later. The Akeron MBT 120 is intended to provide Western tanks with the capability to engage beyond line of sight without major structural modifications. It could lessen the reliance of armored units on indirect artillery support while making it difficult for an adversary to determine whether a given tank is equipped with this capability, since the munition leaves no visible external indicator.

By introducing the Akeron MBT 120, MBDA is positioning itself to address operational requirements identified in recent conflicts. The new round is designed to give European armored forces an integrated and interoperable non-line-of-sight capability, enhancing their ability to operate effectively and improving their survivability on future battlefields.