The French Armed Forces have enhanced the combat capability of their Tigre Mk2 attack helicopters with the successful integration of MBDA’s Mistral 3 air-to-air missile. Upgrading the helicopter’s existing Mistral 2 launch system, MBDA introduced new software and technical modifications that enable the platform to fire the advanced Mistral 3 missile, which offers an imaging infrared seeker, greater resistance to decoys, and a maximum range of 8 kilometers for improved drone interception.
MBDA carried out the integration and live-fire validation in cooperation with the French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA) and the French Armed Forces, completing the work under demanding delivery schedules.
The Mistral 3 is a 1.88-meter-long fire-and-forget missile equipped with a 3-kilogram warhead and capable of speeds of 930 meters per second. Designed to engage low-altitude aerial threats, it has an effective interception range of 500 meters to 8 kilometers and can operate at altitudes of up to 6,000 meters. The missile is compatible with air, land, and naval launch platforms.
Built by Airbus Helicopters, the Tigre Mk2 is an upgraded reconnaissance and attack helicopter featuring jam-resistant GPS, IFF Mode 5, and improved ballistic protection. Its weapons package includes a 30 mm Nexter M781 cannon, AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, Mistral air-to-air missiles, and 68 mm rocket systems.
