France plans to double the number of missile regiments by 2030
The French army plans to create a second missile artillery regiment to provide fire support for the new combat corps that the country is forming for NATO by 2030.
General Pierre Schill, Chief of Staff of the French Army, announced this on July 9 during a speech to the National Assembly’s Defense Committee.
According to him, the army currently has only one rocket artillery regiment, which does not meet current threats, as it has only nine LRU (M270 MLRS) rocket systems.
The armed forces are seeking to return another rocket artillery regiment, which will bring the total number of multiple launch rocket systems to 26, or 13 per regiment.
To prevent the loss of capabilities, the French Ministry of Defense is implementing the FLPT (frappes longue portée terrestres) program for long-range ground-based systems.
According to the general, the army needs between 15 and 30 new launchers. This is more than currently planned: 13 systems by 2030 and 26 by 2035, but less than the 48 units recommended by a parliamentary report.
France is already considering several options. One potential solution is the Foudre system, Turgis & Gaillard presented at the Le Bourget air show in June.
At the same time, Thales and other defense companies in the country are offering their own options and are ready to provide rapid delivery within the €600 million budget allocated for this segment.
One of the main challenges remains avoiding a gap between the decommissioning of the LRU in 2027 and the introduction of a new complex in 2030. To this end, the Army is relying on a plan to extend the service life of the LRU (M270 MLRS), which is being developed by the Integrated Structure for the Maintenance and Operational Readiness of Land Equipment (SIMMT).
In addition to launchers, the army also emphasizes the need to purchase a large stock of compatible ammunition, both existing (in particular, M31 missiles) and future ones that will only appear for new systems.
Separately, the General noted a personnel problem, as the creation of a second regiment requires about 800 new artillerymen. This requires intensified efforts to recruit and retain specialists, against the backdrop of the overall reform of the Army.
Militarnyi previously reported that at the exhibition in Le Bourget, a French company will present the Foudre, an all-French multiple launch rocket system, in the niche of the American HIMARS missile system.
