France has presented the newest evolution of its next-generation loitering munition capability, showcasing the MUTANT XL system at the Defense Innovation Forum 2025 held at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles.
The system is being developed under the French Larinae program through a partnership between MBDA and Delair.
According to Delair, the MUTANT XL is designed as a guided and propelled munition that brings together long-term missile technology developed by MBDA with the latest advances in both civil and military unmanned systems. The French side views the MUTANT family as a future component of hybrid tactical formations, including drone swarms.
The French government considers the system a foundation for its broader push toward networked, coordinated unmanned strike capability.
The munition incorporates technologies from MBDA’s long-running development of the AKERON missile family. As noted by MBDA, these technologies aim to “ensure very high levels of performance in neutralising armoured and mobile targets, while guaranteeing operational reliability and complete safety.” According to the companies, MUTANT XL blends missile-grade effects with UAV-derived flight performance to achieve what they describe as the best balance between cost and capability.
The system is built around a man-in-the-loop concept, giving operators continuous control over the entire mission. Company materials say this approach will “offer complementary capabilities to land-based combat missiles in terms of targeting speed, manoeuvrability, endurance, range and enemy saturation capability.” By executing strikes beyond line-of-sight and functioning as part of a wider suite of battlefield effectors, MUTANT XL is intended to reinforce what MBDA already provides through systems such as the AKERON MP and AKERON LP.
The Larinae program is a cornerstone of France’s broader modernization of ground-based firepower and unmanned combat systems. It supports parallel national initiatives aimed at building capacity for autonomous swarming, precision engagement and high-tempo strike in contested environments. French officials have previously stated that loitering munitions will form an essential layer in future brigade- and battalion-level combined-arms structures.
Delair emphasized that MUTANT XL also leverages the latest trends in unmanned aviation. By drawing on development experience from both commercial UAVs and specialized defense platforms, the company is positioning the munition as a scalable strike option for a variety of units. Delair notes that the system is intended to deliver a “cost/performance ratio” that makes wide deployment feasible across the French Armed Forces.
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