ArianeGroup and Thales are jointly developing a new long-range rocket artillery capability, designated FLP-T 150, as part of France’s Frappe Longue Portée Terrestre (FLP-T) programme to replace the French Army’s existing Lance-Roquette Unitaire (LRU) systems. Under the industrial arrangement, ArianeGroup is responsible for the development of the munition, including propulsion and overall system architecture of the short-range ballistic rocket. Thales is leading work on the guidance and navigation suite, onboard electronics, launcher platform, and associated command-and-control (C2) architecture. The FLP-T 150 demonstrator round is scheduled for completion in the first half of 2026, after which a flight-test campaign will be initiated to validate trajectory performance and velocity parameters.
According to ArianeGroup, the munition is designed to achieve a maximum range of 150 km while delivering precision effects with an accuracy of approximately 1 m. The system is also being engineered to maintain operational effectiveness in contested electromagnetic environments, including resilience against jamming. In a statement, the company underscored the strategic rationale behind the programme, noting that sovereign long-range land strike capabilities are becoming increasingly critical for European defence autonomy amid a rapidly evolving threat environment.
ArianeGroup further confirmed that the FLP-T 150 is being developed to combine sub-decametric accuracy, electronic warfare resilience, and compliance with an ITAR-free framework, thereby ensuring export flexibility and reduced dependency on non-European components. Concept designs indicate that the launcher system will be both mobile and modular, potentially comprising two launcher pods—each carrying four rockets—mounted on an 8×8 high-mobility truck platform, such as the Mercedes-Benz Zetros, fitted with an armoured cab. The company highlighted that the performance envelope of the system—particularly in terms of trajectory and velocity—draws on technologies closely aligned with those used in ballistic missile systems, reflecting ArianeGroup’s heritage in strategic missile and space launch vehicle development.
The France’s Frappe Longue Portée Terrestre (FLP-T) programme was initiated in 2023 by the French Ministry of the Armed Forces to field a successor to the LRU system currently in service. Alongside the ArianeGroup–Thales offering, a competing solution—designated Thundart—is being developed by a consortium comprising MBDA and Safran. French authorities are also assessing off-the-shelf alternatives, including the US M142 HIMARS and India’s Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launcher system, as part of the broader evaluation process. A down-selection decision is expected later in 2026, which will determine the future long-range rocket artillery capability of the French Army and the eventual replacement of its LRU inventory.
