France picks Safran‑MBDA Thundart rocket as replacement for Army artillery

France’s Defense Minister Catherine Vautrin announced on 15 June 2026, at the Eurosatory exhibition, that the country has entered exclusive negotiations with the Safran‑MBDA consortium to supply the Thundart rocket as the successor to the current Lance‑Rouquettes Unitaire (LRU) system. The Thundart, a 227 mm guided rocket, is designed to reach 150 km in its initial version and could be extended to 300 km, with compatibility for existing LRU launchers and integration with the ATLAS fire‑management system.

The FLP‑T programme, launched in 2023, pitted the Safran‑MBDA team against ArianeGroup‑Thales. Successful test firings were conducted in spring 2026 on the DGA range at Île du Levant. An operational capability is targeted before 2030, with the first full systems potentially delivered in 2029 under a €600 million envelope that will double the fleet to 26 launchers.

The contract underscores France’s aim for sovereign deep‑strike capability and reduced reliance on foreign systems such as the US HIMARS or South Korea’s Chunmoo. The partnership may evolve into a 50/50 joint venture to further develop longer‑range variants and other launch platforms, including air‑launched and naval versions.