MBDA signed two Memoranda of Cooperation (MoUs) with Greek companies MILTECH and ALTUS as part of the "R&D Booster" initiative in Greece on February 6, 2024.
MBDA's "R&D Booster" is a component of the strategic partnership agreement between France and Greece signed in 2021 and aims to develop long-term partnerships in Europe.
Together with MILTECH and ALTUS, MBDA will collaborate on projects to develop systems based on the AKERON MP missile.
The first stage of the collaboration with MILTECH concerns the development of an AKERON MP launch kit, which MBDA is now offering to the global market as an option for light automatic turrets equipped with low caliber guns.
Joining forces with ALTUS, under the second cooperation agreement, MBDA seeks to develop a series of tactical drones equipped with AKERON MP missiles.
According to MBDA, the Akeron missile weighs 30 to 40 kilograms and is 1.8 meters long.
It can equip helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles (UCAVs) in double or quadruple canisters with a total weight of 120 and 200 kg respectively.
This collaboration will begin with the validation of the integration of AKERON MP missiles on ALTUS' new ATLAS 8 HEAVY LIFTER UAV.
Eric Béranger, CEO of MBDA, said: “These two new partnership agreements, signed as part of the strategic cooperation between France and Greece, aim to develop long-term activities with the Greek defense industry. They strengthen the long-term relationship that exists between MBDA and Greece. They also demonstrate MBDA's ability to promote, support and enhance industrial cooperation in Europe, a value that lies at the core of MBDA's DNA.”
As the French ambassador Laurence Auer said, "industrial cooperation between Greece and France is promoted, export potential and jobs are created for Greek companies and the interoperability of the armed forces of the two countries is facilitated."
These development projects complement existing cooperation initiatives in the areas of manufacturing, services and R&D. The aim of all these projects and contracts is to strengthen the ties between MBDA and the Hellenic Defense Industrial Base.
