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France selects MBDA–Safran Thundart for long-range rocket artillery under FLP‑T, with deliveries starting in 2029

The French defense ministry says a consortium of MBDA and Safran has won the contract for the next long-range rocket artillery capability, replacing France’s current LRU system. If timelines hold, the first Thundart units are slated for delivery from 2029, with France entering “exclusive” negotiations.

Discovered 2026-06-15T05:46:44.348989-07:00 | 2026-06-15T05:46:44.348989-07:00

Briefing

What Hype is tracking

  • It marks France’s selection of a new deep-strike ground fires architecture (Thundart) to replace the LRU rocket artillery fleet, shaping near- to mid-term European long-range fires demand.
  • The planned 2029 delivery start establishes an execution timeline that will influence how European primes manage production ramp, supply chain readiness, and follow-on procurement.
  • The “exclusive” negotiations and the competitive outcome—effectively sidelining other bidders including Lockheed Martin—signal where major defense groups must focus for future ground-attack programs in Europe.

Reported By

defensehere.com militaryleak.com euro-sd.com interestingengineering.com opex360.com Defence24
Sources Tracked
19
First Seen
2026-06-15T05:46:44.348989-07:00
Latest Update
2026-06-22T04:09:08.697225-07:00
Coverage
Defense

Sources

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