France unveils new FLP-T 150 long-range rocket launcher to free Europe from US export control.

ArianeGroup and Thales presented the FLP-T 150 guided rocket system intended to restore long-range artillery capability for the French Army with strikes reaching 150 km.

The French companies ArianeGroup and Thales jointly unveiled the FLP-T 150 long-range rocket launcher concept to replace the French Army’s aging LRU launchers. The FLP-T 150, designed to strike targets up to 150 km away, aims to restore a sovereign European deep-strike capability without US ITAR-controlled components. The launcher mounted on a Zetros 8x8 truck could be tested in flight in early 2026 ahead of DGA demonstrations.
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ArianeGroup and Thales disclosed the first visual of the FLP-T 150 long-range rocket artillery concept, a system developed as part of the French effort to replace the aging LRU launchers and restore a ground strike capability reaching 150 km. (Picture source: Thales)

On March 11, 2026, ArianeGroup and Thales disclosed the first visuals of the FLP-T 150 long-range rocket launcher concept, which is being developed as part of the French effort to replace the aging LRU launchers and restore a ground strike capability reaching 150 km. The announcement indicates that flight tests are scheduled during the first half of 2026, only weeks before demonstration firings organized by the Direction générale de l’armement in May 2026. Like the M142 HIMARS and the K239 Chunmoo, the FLP-T 150 will be a mobile and scalable multiple rocket launcher capable of delivering precision strikes with an accuracy measured in single-digit meters, even when satellite navigation signals such as GPS are jammed.

To ensure a sovereign long-range artillery capability for the French Army, the FLP-T 150's rocket and its associated system are developed without American components subject to export authorization, ensuring the system remains free from ITAR restrictions. The visual released shows the launcher mounted on a Mercedes-Benz Zetros 8x8 heavy tactical truck, from which 7,000 units were ordered by France to Arquus, a subsidiary of John Cockerill, and Daimler Truck. The rectangular launcher, installed behind an armored cabin, contains eight rocket pods arranged in two rows of four within a single containerized structure. The configuration differs from the American M142 HIMARS, which carries a six-cell rocket pod, and also differs from the South Korean K239 Chunmoo system, which usually carries two independent pods with six rockets each, depending on the munition type.

Nevertheless, the FLP-T 150's container, mounted on a hydraulic elevation system, seems to be designed to simplify the reloading process through the use of containerized ammunition modules. Interestingly, the same day, Thales introduced its SkyDefender concept, an integrated air and missile defence architecture designed to counter aerial threats ranging from short-range drones to long-range ballistic missiles. The system combines multiple defensive layers, integrating short-range counter-drone capabilities such as ForceShield, medium-range interception through the SAMP-T/NG system with engagement ranges up to 150 km, and long-range surveillance based on SMART-L MM and UHF radars capable of detecting threats at distances reaching 5,000 km. 

The FLP-T 150 rocket itself, developed by ArianeGroup, is a guided ground-to-ground munition capable of reaching 150 km while maintaining accuracy within a single-digit meter error. The FLP-T 150, comparable to modern guided MLRS rockets, is engineered to remain effective even when satellite navigation signals may be degraded or jammed, a capability that has become essential for long-range artillery systems operating against technologically advanced adversaries. ArianeGroup indicates that the trajectory and velocity regime of this class of artillery munition rely on principles comparable to those used in ballistic systems. Long-range rocket artillery of this category follows a high ballistic arc trajectory with significant terminal velocity before impact, requiring guidance and flight control systems capable of correcting trajectory during the flight phase.

The company has developed its expertise on high-speed ballistic trajectories through programs such as the Ariane space launch vehicles and the M51 submarine-launched ballistic missile. The French FLP-T program aims to reconstitute a sovereign long-range rocket artillery capability for France at a time when this category of weapon has regained operational importance. The French procurement agency, the DGA, has organized a competition involving several industrial teams, with demonstration firings scheduled for May 2026 to determine which solution will be selected as the priority option. ArianeGroup confirmed that the FLP-T 150 demonstrator is expected to fly during the first half of 2026, which means the system could conduct a test flight before these demonstrations take place.

The requirement defined for the program specifies a strike range of at least 150 km combined with precision guidance and operational resilience in electronic warfare environments. Mobility is another requirement, as the launcher must be able to deploy rapidly, fire, and relocate before being targeted by counter-battery fire. The system is also designed as a scalable solution capable of integrating different types of guided munitions in the future, like the HIMARS and Chunmoo. The development of a replacement system is driven by the progressive obsolescence of the French Army’s current LRU launchers.

Only nine launchers, based on the American M270 MLRS, remain in operational service, and they are approaching the end of their operational life. These systems are limited to a maximum strike range of 70 km, a figure significantly below the range required for contemporary long-range artillery missions. French land forces require a strike capability reaching at least 150 km in order to support the establishment of a division able to conduct high-intensity operations by 2027. Without a replacement capability, the French Army risks losing its rocket artillery function once the remaining launchers reach the end of their service life. Doubling the strike range would allow artillery units to engage targets deeper behind the front line. 

Another factor behind the development of a new system is the limited availability of European long-range rocket artillery systems. The American M142 HIMARS is widely used by NATO armies but relies on production and export authorizations controlled by the United States. Other alternatives, such as the EuroPULS or GMARS, have been developed in Europe as potential replacements for aging MLRS systems, but they remain jointly developed with non-European countries. French authorities have also examined additional options, including the Indian Pinaka rocket artillery system as a possible industrial offset linked to the Rafale program. At the same time, two domestic alternatives to the FLP-T 150 have been developed: the Foudre from Turgis & Gaillard, and the Thundart system developed by MBDA and Safran, which also reaches a strike range of 150 km and relies on guidance technology derived from the AASM air-to-ground weapon. The FLP-T program, estimated at €600 million, could involve an initial procurement of at least 13 launchers delivered by 2030.

Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.