MBDA has signed a trial contract with the DGA for AKERON RCX50 remotely controlled ammunition (RCA), which includes experimentation and training phases for the Technical Section of the Army (STAT) and the French Navy. This latest contract is indicative of MBDA’s ability to meet the requirements of the armed forces and to adapt to changes on the battlefield. The AKERON RCX50 offers simplicity of use and operational flexibility, with an optimized cost for mass production and use. The development of the system, entirely self-financed, also highlights MBDA’s ability to adapt and innovate in the field of short-range RCAs. The AKERON RCX50 is now ready for mass production.
Stéphane Reb, EVP Programmes and Managing Director France of MBDA, said: “The signing of the AKERON RCX50 contract with the DGA highlights our ability to innovate quickly and to respond effectively to the operational needs expressed by the forces. This success demonstrates our agility and expertise, illustrated by the development of the AKERON RCX50, carried out in collaboration with Novadem, in less than two years. This ammunition represents an advance in terms of precision and effectiveness, thus contributing to the security and sovereignty of our nations.”
The AKERON RCX50 is MBDA’s short-range remotely controlled ammunition, based on initial work on the SPHINX demonstrator carried out as part of the COLIBRI project. This RCA, designed from start to finish as a weapon system, is a tactical asset in the field and provides an advantage to the armed forces. Architecturally, the Sphynx concept is designed as a weapon system with integrated rotary-wing drone technologies, rather than as simply a drone plus a warhead. The decision to choose rotary wing architecture is based on the feedback MBDA has received from its considerable work in this field.
The AKERON RCX50 is the result of a successful collaboration with Novadem, an innovative SME specializing in aerial robotics, which has been designing and manufacturing drone solutions for civil and military markets for 20 years. The synergy between MBDA and Novadem has made it possible to develop this RCA within tight deadlines. The RCAs developed by MBDA combine the precision, reliability, agility, and mass required for high-intensity conflicts. Furthermore, MBDA and Delair are joining forces with KNDS France to offer the AKERON RCH170 as part of the ongoing competition on medium-range RCAs.
