On Tuesday, March 10, 2026, the French consortium composed of the Thales Group and ArianeGroup (a joint venture of Airbus Defence and Space and Safran) unveiled the FLP-T 150 guided rocket along with a dedicated multiple launch rocket system, offered to the French Army (Armée de terre) under the FLP-T (Feux Longue Portée-Terre) program as a successor to the LRU (Lance-Roquettes Unitaire) launchers, i.e., the M270A1 MLRS.
Demonstrator technologii kierowanego pocisku rakietowego FLP-T 150 / Zdjęcie: ArianeGroup
The missile was presented on ArianeGroup’s social media profile, while a visualization of the launcher, based on the Zetros 8×8 truck chassis designed by Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks, appeared on the profile of Eric Normant, head of the Vehicles and Tactical Systems division at Thales (Daimler Truck and Arquus will supply Zetros trucks to France).
According to available information, the technology demonstrator of the FLP-T 150 missile is expected to be tested in the first half of this year, in the near future. As suggested by its designation, the missile is expected to have a range of about 150 km, with extremely high accuracy, achieving a CEP (Circular Error Probability) of up to 1 meter—although at distances of up to 100 km.
“At Thales, we have developed a versatile and scalable rocket launcher system in cooperation with ArianeGroup, which specializes in munitions. This solution represents a significant advance in ballistic strike capabilities, combining sovereignty, versatility, and interoperability. Designed to meet the demands of modern theaters of operation, the FLP-T 150 stands out with its robust architecture and our operational rocket launcher system with a tactical ballistic missile, offering unmatched precision even in the most complex conditions. With this project, we reaffirm our commitment to delivering ready-to-use solutions that strengthen deterrence and power projection capabilities. The FLP-T 150 is not just a launcher—it is a concrete response to the strategic challenges of tomorrow,” wrote Eric Normant on his LinkedIn profile.
The missile is expected to be resistant to electromagnetic interference and enemy electronic warfare, and all of its components are free from U.S. ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations) restrictions. In its development, ArianeGroup drew on experience gained from the M51 MSBS (Mer-Sol Balistique Stratégique) sea-based ballistic missile family.
The modular container launcher is designed to carry eight ready-to-launch guided missiles / Graphic: Eric Normant via LinkedIn
The General Directorate for Armaments (Direction générale de l’Armement, DGA) under the French Ministry for the Armed Forces and Veterans launched the FLP-T program in 2023 with an initial budget of 600 million EUR. The French Army (Armée de terre) currently operates nine LRU launchers, as two were transferred to Ukraine (earlier reports mentioned 13 launchers, while originally France operated 57 LRUs).
According to current plans, the replacement system is to be acquired by 2030, although it is no secret that the withdrawal of LRU launchers will begin as early as late 2027. Under the FLP-T program, France plans to procure 13 new launchers before 2030 and another 26 in the period 2030–2035. In the meantime, an interim solution is being considered, with French media pointing to the South Korean K239 Chunmoo, the U.S. M142 HIMARS, or the Indian Pinaka as possible candidates.
Competing proposals in the FLP-T program have previously been presented by MBDA together with Safran Electronics & Defense, known as Thundart, based on a heavy 8×8 wheeled chassis, and by ETI Turgis & Gaillard, with the Foudre system mounted on a lighter Renault Kerax 6×6 wheeled chassis.
It is also worth noting that the French Army is interested in a conventional land-based ballistic missile codenamed MBT (Missile balistique terrestre) with a range of over 1,000–2,000 km, in the MRBM (Medium-Range Ballistic Missile) class, to be launched from a mobile TEL (Transporter-Erector-Launcher) platform.
France is also participating in the European Long-range Strike Approach (ELSA) initiative together with several countries, including Poland, aimed at developing a European multiple launch rocket system and low-cost strike capabilities with ranges exceeding 500 km, employing one-way attack effectors.
150 kilometres. Controlled range.
ArianeGroup, in partnership with @Thalesgroup, is developing the FLP-T 150 rocket, capable of reaching 150 km.
✔️ Sub-decametric precision
✔️ Resilience in jammed environments
✔️ ITAR-free solution
✔️ Mobile and scalable systemFirst… pic.twitter.com/vBOTKQa9Ed
— ArianeGroup (@ArianeGroup) March 10, 2026
