Eurodrone to be Armed with MHT Air-to-Ground Missiles, GBU-49 Bombs

Europe’s first non-segregated unmanned aerial system (UAS), the Eurodrone, will be armed with MBDA-developed Missile Haut de Trame (MHT) air-to-ground missiles as well as GBU-49 bombs.

MBDA proposed its MHT/MLP (Missile Haut de Trame / Missile Longue Portée) concept for French defense ministry’s Future Tactical Air-to-Surface Missile (MAST-F) program. This long-range missile builds on the technologies of the mid-range MMP (Akeron MP), world’s first fifth generation land combat missile to enter service. The MHT is now known as the Akeron LP.

MHT/MLP was created to be equipped on Tiger combat helicopters. Weighing 20% less than other missiles in its category provides a weight saving of nearly 100 kg for the Tiger helicopter, which can carry up to eight missiles in combat configuration.

“In addition to the Tiger Mk III, the MHT air-to-ground missile will equip European MALE drones, in addition to the GBU-49 bombs,” the French Directorate General of Armaments (DGA) said in a Twitter post on Thursday.

Akeron LP is a ‘fire-and-forget' missile that can be employed against a range of fixed or mobile land targets, including hardened or defensive fighting positions, tanks, and/or dismounted infantry. It features low collateral multi-effect warheads (anti-tank, anti-infrastructure, anti-personnel), data-links, and multimode guidance algorithms based on [artificial intelligence] techniques, and has a range of more than 15 km when fired from altitude.

Eurodrone

The European Medium Altitude Long Endurance Remotely Piloted Aircraft System, or Eurodrone, is a twin-turboprop MALE UAV under development by Airbus, Dassault Aviation and Leonardo for Germany, France, Italy and Spain, with a first flight expected by mid-2027.

Eurodrone is designed to become one of the main pillars of any future combat air system, prepared for real integration into civil airspace based on minimal restrictions and easy transportability due to its modular design. The design will offer multi-mission capabilities and significant growth potential, for homeland operations, Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) and armed ISTAR, which can be conducted with full operational sovereignty.