The companies said the decision marks a major step in renewing French deep land strike capabilities. They also said THUNDART will meet operational needs among several French allied countries.
THUNDART is being developed jointly by MBDA and Safran Electronics & Defense. The system is designed to provide the French armed forces with precision strike capability at ranges of up to 150 kilometres.
The companies said the system is intended for high-intensity conflicts. It is also designed to operate in highly contested environments.
THUNDART will be designed, developed and produced in France. MBDA and Safran said this will provide operational flexibility for the French armed forces and full autonomy in export decisions.
The system could enter operational service as early as 2030. It combines expertise from MBDA, Safran Electronics & Defense and Roxel in propulsion, guidance, navigation and terminal precision.
The companies said THUNDART is designed to maintain high performance even in degraded or contested environments. This includes situations involving jamming or loss of GNSS signals.
“We are incredibly proud of this selection and the recognition of the work of our respective teams with Safran Electronics & Defense. THUNDART represents far more than a new strike capability: it is a sovereign, robust, and adaptable response to the operational challenges of the French Army,” said Stéphane Reb, EVP Programmes and Managing Director of MBDA France.
“Thanks to the complementary nature of our industrial expertise, we are offering the French armed forces a strategic capacity designed to last, and capable of adapting to future conflicts”, Reb said. The companies said the system is being developed as a comprehensive solution.
“This selection is a great source of pride for our teams, and we thank the DGA for the trust they have placed in us. It rewards several years of innovation, commitment, and collective work alongside MBDA,” said Alexandre Ziegler, Director of the Defense Global Business Unit of Safran Electronics & Defense.
“With THUNDART, we provide the French Army with a new-generation sovereign capability, able to operate in the most contested environments. This capability also meets the needs expressed by several France’s allied countries, with the potential to be offered for export”, Ziegler said.
The launcher is being developed by Safran Electronics & Defense with support from industrial partners including Scania France, CMAR and Essone. The system architecture allows native integration with French Army information systems, including the ATLAS fire management system.
The modular design is also intended to support integration into different command ecosystems. The companies said this will help meet specific requirements in export markets.
The ammunition pod has been designed for integration on other platforms. MBDA and Safran said this will address the needs of export customers and support the evolution of the long-range artillery market.
MBDA and Safran Electronics & Defense also plan to establish a jointly owned joint venture. The venture is intended to accelerate development of THUNDART and future upgrades.
The planned upgrades include range increases, adaptation to new operational environments and continuous enhancement of system capability. The companies said the industrial effort will be supported by recruitment at several strategic sites.
Safran Electronics & Defense will recruit at Fougères, Éragny and Montluçon. MBDA will recruit at Bourges, Saint-Médard-en-Jalles, Selles-Saint-Denis and Le Plessis-Robinson.
