The French Army only has nine functioning Unitary Rocket Launchers (LRUs). And three are still on mission in Romania, and some are even used as spare parts banks. In short, the stockpile is dwindling. The problem? These systems, put into service in the 1990s, will no longer be usable by 2027 due to a lack of components.
A hole in the French arsenal
The Military Programming Law (LPM) does indeed provide for new rocket launchers by 2030, via the FLP-T program, entrusted to two industrial tandems: Thales with ArianeGroup, and MBDA with Safran. But the first prototypes won't be tested until 2026. That's late, especially if we want to be able to deploy a division capable of striking far away from 2027.
This is where a third thief comes into play: Foudre. This project developed by Turgis & Gaillard had never been discussed publicly before, but a parliamentary report brought it to light at the end of April. Since then, the company has decided to accelerate its presentation.
Mounted on a Renault Trucks Kerax 6x6 truck, Foudre focuses on simplicity and efficiency: it doesn't need stabilizers to fire, can be transported by plane (A400M or C-130), and quickly repositions itself to avoid enemy counterattacks. A sort of French HIMARS, but lighter.
In terms of weapons, it can fire 227 mm M31 rockets (the same as the HIMARS), but also ATACMS or PrSM missiles, and even MBDA cruise missiles with a range of up to 1,000 km. It would also be compatible with Indian Pinaka rockets. In short, a true Swiss Army knife of long-range artillery.
The system is manufactured in France: chassis in Charente, integration in Lozère. It works with ODIN, an in-house communications system, and can communicate with the Aarok drone to form a completely sovereign detection-strike chain.
Neither MBDA nor Thales see this project as a direct competitor: Foudre could coexist with their munitions. And on the political side, the signals are rather positive. The Minister of the Armed Forces has already visited the workshops, and a first test of the Aarok drone is expected before the Paris Air Show. If all goes well, a purchasing decision could be made as early as the start of the school year.
Not bad for a project developed discreetly, without a large consortium or public funding. And above all, it would allow France to avoid having to buy American HIMARS or Korean rocket launchers.
0 Comments