Breaking News
France’s Upcoming Foudre MLRS rocket launcher Aims to Rival US HIMARS on European Market.
Published on April 30, 2025, by Challenges, an article by Vincent Lamigeon reveals the existence of a new French multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) called Foudre, developed by the company Turgis & Gaillard. This previously confidential project, now made public, comes at a time when the French Army urgently needs to replace its aging LRU (Lance-Roquettes Unitaire) systems, whose operational readiness is steadily declining. With a critical capability gap expected by 2027 and foreign alternatives raising concerns about strategic autonomy, the Foudre is intended as a high-performance, fully sovereign solution positioned as France’s future equivalent to the US HIMARS.
The Foudre can carry a configurable munition pod capable of launching six 227 mm M31 rockets (Picture source: Turgis & Gaillard via Challenges)
The Foudre stands out for its modular and air-transportable design, aimed at delivering high operational agility. Mounted on a Renault Trucks Kerax 6x6 chassis, it offers notable strategic and tactical mobility. Unlike heavier systems such as the South Korean Chunmoo, it does not require stabilizing outriggers for firing, allowing for rapid deployment, quicker repositioning after engagement, and a reduced risk of counter-battery fire. The system is fully air-transportable by C-130 aircraft, enabling immediate projection onto operational theatres—similar to the HIMARS, which also relies on a lightweight wheeled platform.
Where the Foudre particularly aims to match international standards is in its firepower. It can carry a configurable munition pod capable of launching six 227 mm M31 rockets—the same as those used by the current French LRUs and compatible with the HIMARS system. It can also fire one ATACMS missile with a range of 150 km, or two PrSM (Precision Strike Missile) units with a range of up to 500 km, aligning it with the most recent upgrades to the American platform. Furthermore, with minor adaptations, the Foudre is expected to be able to deploy land-attack cruise missiles such as the MBDA-developed Land Cruise Missile (LCM), with a stated range of 1,000 km. This would exceed the known range capabilities of the current HIMARS, whose long-range cruise missile integration remains at the planning or early development stage.
The program's industrial structure further reinforces its strategic position. Developed entirely with private funding by Turgis & Gaillard—independent of any large defense consortium—the system involves multiple French production sites. The chassis is manufactured by Graffeuille, a group subsidiary based in Charente, and final integration is carried out by Sefiam in Lozère. This domestic production model allows full control over logistics and technical configurations, a key factor for quickly meeting evolving military requirements. Additionally, the Foudre will be linked to ODIN, a proprietary communication system developed in-house, and integrated with the Aarok drone, enabling a national sensor-to-shooter kill chain, thereby shortening the time between detection and engagement—an essential capability in high-intensity conflicts.
With the last of France’s LRU systems delivered in the 1990s and fewer than seven remaining operational—some of which are used for spare parts, the situation has become urgent. Three units are currently deployed in Romania under NATO reassurance operations, and their short-term replacement is considered a priority by the French Army. General Pierre Schill, Chief of the Army Staff, reminded parliament in late 2024 of the critical need for deep fires capability, noting that many other European forces already possess such systems.
Mounted on a Renault Trucks Kerax 6x6 chassis, it offers notable strategic and tactical mobility (Picture source: Turgis & Gaillard via Challenges)
Faced with this urgency, the available options are limited: extending the life of the LRUs at significant cost, purchasing off-the-shelf foreign systems (such as the US HIMARS, South Korea’s Chunmoo, or India’s Pinaka), or waiting for the French FLP-T program under the DGA, which is not expected to deliver before 2030. Another option under consideration is the G-MARS, a multiple launch rocket system developed by KNDS, the Franco-German joint venture, conceived as a European response to HIMARS. The G-MARS is based on a modernized evolution of the German MARS II platform, with a focus on increased payload and longer-range munitions. However, its timeline remains uncertain, and mass production may not align with the immediate operational deadlines faced by the French Army. In this context, the Foudre emerges as a fully national, near-term solution, compatible with both existing ammunition types and the future FLP-T munitions.
Political and institutional support is gradually forming around the program. Defence Minister Sébastien Lecornu has already expressed clear interest, notably during a February visit to Blois, where he challenged the company to conduct a successful test flight of the Aarok drone before the Paris Air Show. If the test flight, expected in June, is cleared by French aviation authorities and proves successful, a procurement decision for the Foudre could follow as early as September 2025. Emmanuel Chiva, Head of the Defence Procurement Agency (DGA), has also voiced support for involving medium-sized industrial players like Turgis & Gaillard, which he sees as capable of challenging long-standing practices in a sector dominated by large defense groups such as Airbus, Thales, Safran, and MBDA.
This momentum is supported by a parliamentary report co-authored by MPs Jean-Louis Thiériot and Matthieu Bloch, which explicitly identifies the Foudre as a credible sovereign alternative. The report highlights its ability to fire both French and foreign munitions, including the Indian Guided Pinaka rockets. This flexibility provides a strategic advantage during the transitional phase before FLP-T systems are fielded.
In this context—combining operational pressure, legislative backing, institutional openness, and industrial maturity—the Foudre emerges not only as a viable interim solution, but also as a potential foundation for France’s long-range artillery capabilities in the 2030s. With performance comparable to, and in some cases exceeding, that of the HIMARS, full domestic production, and integration into a national digital architecture, the Foudre represents a strategic effort to restore France’s autonomy in deep-strike capabilities. Its trajectory suggests it could become the new standard for long-range precision firepower—not only for France, but potentially for Europe as well.