French weapon system manufacturer MBDA has revealed plans to demonstrate firings of Thundart, a long-range guided rocket system, in mid-2026.
Developed in partnership with Safran Electronics & Defense, Thundart is part of the Long-Range Land Strike (FLP-T) programme initiated by the French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA) in 2023.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
While MBDA is known for its ability to mass-produce munitions of considerable scale, Safran Electronics & Defense brings to the table its experience from developing the modular air-to-ground AASM.
This expertise has enabled it to provide a guidance kit for the new artillery system.
Thundart centres primarily on a ground-to-ground rocket with a range of 150km. It was first introduced to the public at the Eurosatory defence exhibition in 2024.
Safran Electronics & Defense and MBDA have joined efforts since last year to respond to the evolving defence needs, prompted by geopolitical shifts like the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?
Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.
By GlobalDataThe French Army, amid its re-evaluation of defence strategy, currently relies on nine unitary launchers (LRUs) with a range of 70km.
However, the changing global landscape has underscored the urgency to enhance strike capabilities. This necessity coincides with the impending obsolescence of the current LRUs, leading to active exploration of advanced technological solutions.
Thundart is a response to these demands, according to MBDA .
Technically, the system offers an increase in firepower and saturation capacity, essential for high-intensity conflicts. It has off-road capability, is self-sufficient, and resilient to temperature changes.
It can engage fixed or mobile targets and connect to the Army’s information systems, most notably the ATLAS fire control system.
Thundart’s fire control system will be adapted from Safran Electronics & Defense’s design currently used on the CAESAR howitzer.
Earlier in October 2025, MBDA completed the acquisition of Roxel, bringing the company into its European defence conglomerate by purchasing the remaining 50% stake from Safran in December 2024.
