>The European conglomerate MBDA, drawing on lessons from the ongoing war in Ukraine, has begun work on a guided missile that can be launched from a 120 mm tank gun at targets located beyond line of sight.

According to MBDA specialists, the war in Ukraine has demonstrated that tank duels are rare, and tanks mostly fire from covered positions, often blindly. The new missile, designated Akeron MBT 120, is intended to resolve this issue.

Technical specifications of the Akeron MBT 120 have not been disclosed, but it is expected to have a range of at least 5 km. Targeting will be enabled through TV and infrared channels, allowing both manual guidance and “fire-and-forget” capability. The first tests are scheduled for 2026.