The Foudre launcher was developed at the private initiative and risk of Turgis & Gaillard, with the aim of offering the system to the French Army as well as potential export customers. In France, it is being considered as part of the FLP-T program (Frappe Longue Portée Terrestre), which envisions the acquisition of new rocket launchers in the coming years. These are intended to replace the currently operated M270A1 MLRS systems, locally designated as LRU (Lance-Roquettes Unitaire). Notably, the new system is designed to be compatible with missiles already in use by NATO and the Republic of Korea.
Photo: Radosław Niesobski
The Foudre project is the third domestic proposal developed in connection with the FLP-T program. Competing solutions have been presented by the Safran-MBDA and Thales-ArianeGroup consortia, in cooperation with the French Directorate General of Armaments (DGA). While Paris favors a local solution, the possibility of purchasing a foreign system remains open if there are no delays in delivery.
Under the program, which is divided into two phases, France plans to acquire 39 next-generation launchers. By 2030, 13 units are to be delivered, with the remaining systems entering service by the end of 2035.
The Foudre system is mounted on a three-axle truck chassis with an armored crew cabin. The combat module includes a launcher capable of using standard (American) containers designed for 227 mm rockets (GMLRS/MLRS) or heavier missiles such as ATACMS or PrSM. It is possible that France is following a similar approach to Poland’s Homar-A program, which integrates the American M142 HIMARS launcher module with a domestic chassis.
