MBDA start-up NEODE Systems has been contracted by the France’s Direction Générale de l’Armement (DGA) for AI-enhanced Akeron Medium Range (Moyenne Portée, MP) missile.
The start-up received this contract within a year and a half since its establishment in January 2024.
Go deeper with GlobalData
The contract’s objective is to showcase the enhanced beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) capabilities of the Akeron MP missile system, facilitated by MBDA’s AI-driven decision support tool Ground Warden.
Ground Warden is an AI-driven equipment developed to improve the speed and efficiency of surveillance, identification, targeting, and engagement functions within the Akeron range of anti-vehicle weaponry.
A series of tests, which are scheduled to take place before the year-end, will evaluate Ground Warden’s performance through multiple missile firings.
These trials aim to support the procurement of a licence that offers a solution aligned with the French Army’s requirements for adaptability against evolving battlefield threats.
US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?
Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.
By GlobalDataMBDA CEO Eric Béranger said: “NEODE Systems is new proof of MBDA’s agility and our ability to innovate, particularly in the field of artificial intelligence dedicated to optimising our products. I have full confidence in NEODE Systems to provide the French Army, and all our customers, with the technology they need to deal with new threats on the ground, quickly and efficiently.”
NEODE Systems is created to develop technologies that strengthen the functionality of MBDA’s arsenal.
The start-up facilitates progression from conceptual designs to tangible products via a development model.
This enables MBDA to adjust promptly to emerging demands from military forces and counteract novel threats encountered during combat.
Additionally, NEODE Systems employs a commercial strategy centred on software licence sales, simplifying the enhancement integration process for existing weapon systems in operation.
NEODE Systems CEO Laurent Duport said: “This first contract demonstrates the relevance of NEODE Systems’ innovative model, which combines agile, short-cycle development involving the end customer at each stage, and disruptive technologies such as artificial intelligence. NEODE Systems offers the armed forces an unprecedented responsiveness in the defence sector and therefore supports the transformation of the entire ecosystem.”
The NATO Support and Procurement Agency entered into a preliminary agreement with MBDA in mid June 2025, for the provision of materials and product support services related to the Akeron MP missile system.
Earlier in 2025, MBDA acquired missiles and rockets propulsion systems supplier, Roxel, finalising its ownership stake at 100% after purchasing Safran’s remaining shares on 19 December 2024.
