Naval Group: first at-sea firings from Rampart multi-weapon launcher with Thales rockets

France’s Naval Group Rampart modular multipurpose launching system prototype is veteran of its first at-sea weapon firings campaign with Thales 68 mm guided and unguided rockets, on board the French Navy Mistral-class Tonnerre LHD. A key milestone in the development and testing of the new weapon system by Naval Group after a first land-based firing test in May 2026, opening the way to international test campaigns and land-based applications

click on image to enlarge

The milestone was reached during the sixth edition of the Wildfire counter-drone exercise held off the coast of Toulon from September 28 to October 2, 2026, organized by the French Navy’s Force d’Action Naval (FAN) training division, an intensive week-long exercise focused on countering aerial and surface drone threats in realistic operational environments, such as critical maritime choke points. During a media briefing in Toulon naval base, Naval Group showed a video confirming the firings of 68 mm guided and unguided rockets supplied by Thales.

The French shipbuilding and naval systems group has self-funded the design and demonstration of Rampart to meet requirements for a multi-ammunition inner-layer defence system able to cost-effectively defeat low-cost unmanned air and surface threats. Featuring an electrically driven twin-axis turret integrated with a firing computer, the system is equipped with a launcher characterized by four interchangeable ammunition modules each one capable to accommodate different effectors; each module can contain 20 68 mm multi role rockets, 12 70 mm rockets, or 4 lightweight multirole or short-range air defence missile. Thanks to the capability of both pyrotechnic and pneumatic firing mode, according to Naval Group representative, the Rampart has the future capacity to use loitering ammunitions, underwater grenades and decoys, in addition to mini torpedoes such as the Leonardo Black Scorpion.

click on image to enlarge

With a mass of 3 tonnes which become 4 fully loaded, the system is non-deck penetrating and can be fully integrated into the ship combat management system or operate in a standalone mode. To conduct the at-sea fire trials from the French Navy Mistral-class Tonnerre LHD, the Rampart multipurpose launching system was installed on a 20-foot ISO standard platform with an exhaust deflector to use the system on a naval platform for testing. It was accompanied by a containerized command and control with radar and separately by a wheeled vehicle installed on the deck, equipped with a Safran Paseo long range panoramic targeting system to conduct the firing tests with the laser-guided 68 mm rocket provided by Thales. During the firing trials, the Rampart has fired ten training rockets, a cost-effective smoke solution to reduce the use of expensive and complex ammunition for training, and a 68 mm laser-guided rocket.

The combination of the Rampart weapon system and laser-guided rocket demonstrated the effectiveness and low-cost solution to counter small and bigger drones, which can be further augmented with a new version of the 68 mm laser-guided rocket, which we will discuss later. In addition to the Thales rockets, a Polish Mesko Piorun missile was also present in one of the four modules of the Rampart launcher. The trials did not plan the launch of this VSHORAD missile, however its seeker was used to track and lock on the targeted drone.

click on image to enlarge

The successful testing in a realistic environment of the Rampart weapon system opens the way to further demonstrations not only in country but also abroad, according to Naval Group representative. In 2027, the system is scheduled to be tested in Belgium utilizing 70 mm rockets developed and produced by Thales Belgium. Following the signature of an agreement during Eurosatory 2026 with the Emirati partner Halcon, part of EDGE, it will also be tested in the United Arab Emirates using Halcon’s Sky Night missile, no indication being provided about a possible date. The Rampart is attracting the interest of a wide number of potential customers, while Naval Group is hoping that the French Navy will be the launch customer, followed by other potential users in the Middle East. During the Eurosatory exhibition, Naval Group presented together with Arquus a mobile version mounted on the Zetros 2648A 6×6 truck as the system is attracting the interest also of land and naval forces for the defence of high-value facilities or forces, ensuring communality between services.

click on image to enlarge

Presenting the capabilities of the 68 mm rockets family, the Thales representative also provided few details on the activities on the new version of the Aculeus laser guided 68 mm rocket, the latter characterized by a 6 km range. The Aculeus employs wireless induction technology for safe, rapid communication and activation between the launcher pod and the munition, which offers a fully insensitive munition and brings a completely new level of safety and rapid integration. Furthermore, the rocket is compliant with the highest NATO standards and features high resistance to electromagnetic radiations. Building on its established laser-guided rocket solutions for counter-drone operations, during Eurosatory 2026 exhibition Thales announced the launch of the Laser Guided Rocket Proxy (LGR275 Proxy), a 70 mm laser-guided rocket equipped with a proximity sensor and a military-grade warhead optimized for aerial targets, specifically designed to neutralize drones accurately and effectively. The Thales representative did not provide any additional information on the technology applied to the rocket neither a programme timeline to provide such capability. EDR On-Line understood it is the same technology under development for the 70 mm model. The Thales presentative said the company is tripling the production, reaching 10,000 68 mm and 20,000 70 mm laser guided rockets in 2028, this to gain a big slice of the growing medium-range antidrone market.

Photos by L. Peruzzi, graphics courtesy Naval Group