MBDA and Safran Enter Final Contract Negotiations for THUNDART Next-Generation Artillery System

THUNDART Artillery

Image: MBDA

MBDA and Safran Electronics & Defense have entered the final phase of contract negotiations with France’s defence procurement agency (DGA) for THUNDART, a next-generation artillery system set to replace the Lance-Roquettes Unitaire (LRU).

As per a recent press statement, the two companies developed THUNDART jointly to deliver precision strike capability out to 150 kilometres. The system is designed to operate in high-intensity, contested environments, including scenarios involving GNSS jamming or signal degradation. Fully designed, developed, and produced in France, THUNDART could enter operational service as early as 2030.

THUNDART draws on the combined expertise of MBDA, Safran Electronics & Defense, and MBDA subsidiary Roxel across propulsion, guidance, navigation, and terminal precision. The Safran Electronics & Defense-developed launcher integrates natively with the French Army’s ATLAS fire management system and incorporates industrial partners including Scania France, CMAR, and Essone. Its modular architecture also supports integration into export command ecosystems.

Executive Vice President Programmes and Managing Director of MBDA France Stéphane Reb commented: “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.”

Director of the Defence Global Business Unit of Safran Electronics & Defense Alexandre Ziegler added: “This capability also meets the needs expressed by several of France’s allied countries, with the potential to be offered for export.”

MBDA and Safran Electronics & Defense also plan to establish an equally-owned joint venture to accelerate THUNDART’s development and future upgrades, including range increases and adaptation to new operational environments. The programme will drive recruitment across multiple strategic sites, spanning Fougères, Éragny, and Montluçon for Safran Electronics & Defense, and Bourges, Saint-Médard-en-Jalles, Selles-Saint-Denis, and Le Plessis-Robinson for MBDA.

Read more on MBDA’s website

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