The replacement of the French army’s unit rocket launchers (LRU) is entering its decisive phase. The FLP-T program, launched in 2023 by the General Directorate of Armaments, should make it possible to choose a new system by the summer, while the current equipment, derived from a Lockheed Martin model and capable of hitting up to 70 kilometerswill reach the end of their life by 2027. In the race, Safran and MBDA opened the ball with a demonstration of their Thundart system. On April 29, the tandem announced a first successful launch: an “all-terrain” launcher truck carrying eight rockets, designed to reach 80 km/h and especially to strike and then retreat quickly. A logic drawn from the lessons of the conflict in Ukraine, where artillery pieces become vulnerable to drones. The system also includes hardened guidance against jamming.
A week apart, Thales et ArianeGroup presented their own demonstrator, with a successful test of a long-range ballistic missile. Manufacturers highlight a range that can reach 2500 kilometers as well as an ability to quickly ramp up, according to Vincent Pery, of ArianeGroup. The Minister of the Armed Forces Catherine Vautrin greeted “very interesting essays“, as relayed BFMTV.
Also read War in Ukraine: what is the Sarma worth, this rocket launcher supposed to counter the American HIMARS?
French demonstrators in battle order
But the choice is not limited to French solutions. The DGA also examines “off-the-shelf” systems to compare their performance. Among the options mentioned are the South Korean K239 and especially the American Himars from Lockheed Martin, already widely deployed in Europe. Catherine Vautrin insists on three criteria: efficiency, price and delivery times. An American offer would even have been submitted. In the Senate, she asserts that “the DGA is working with two French business groups to replace the LRUHAS”. But Senator Cédric Perrin, chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defense and Armed Forces, is worried about a possible American choice, citing a “casus belli” and the risk of dependence. The final decision must be made by the summer.
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/2026/05/25/6a13edd482505029516183.jpg "War in Ukraine: after Ukrainian strikes on a high school, the Kremlin takes journalists on board for a communications operation")
