French Thales Group’s subsidiary in Belgium, Thales Belgium, the top producer of 70-mm rocket systems in Europe, has opened a new manufacturing line at its Herstal facility to ramp up the production, the group said in a recent press release.
This development comes shortly after Belgian Defense Minister Ludivine Dedonder expressed her commitment to boosting Thales's munitions production.
The increased production capacity aims to expedite the delivery of ammunition needed by the military. The rockets produced are of the NATO-standard 70-mm (2.75 inch) caliber, currently deployed in Ukraine.
The minister said the expansion of the 70 mm rocket production line “responds to rapidly growing international demand, as well as to the needs of Defense, due to a worrying global security situation.”
“In the face of today's geopolitical challenges, this initiative contributes to strengthening Belgium's strategic autonomy and guaranteeing peace and security in Europe. Thales’ s choice of Belgium for this expansion reinforces the R&D cooperation agreement signed with the Ministry of Defense in November 2023. It also highlights the exceptional skills of Walloon workers in the field of precision technologies. This inauguration perfectly illustrates my commitment to Defense, industry, and our country's economy in the service of our national and international security,” Dedonder said.
In under a year, Thales Belgium has laid the groundwork to enhance production of 70-mm rockets to meet the demands of European armed forces. As the sole European manufacturer of these munitions, Thales Belgium has undertaken several initiatives to increase output, including hiring over 50 new employees, reinforcing the supply chain, and progressing towards integrating additional activities vertically. By 2025, production capacity is set to rise from 1,000 to 5,000 guided rockets.
The rockets developed by Thales Belgium are renowned for their high interoperability and resistance to jamming, making them suitable for deployment across various manned and unmanned land, air, and naval platforms. They are also effective in drone defense systems and supporting ground-to-ground strike capabilities.
Willy Borsus, Vice-President of Wallonia and Minister for the Economy, Research and Innovation, meanwhile, said “the geopolitical context in which we live today forces us to review our priorities and adapt.”
“I would like to underline the involvement of Thales Belgium, which is responding to the needs expressed by the European armed forces. With this new production line, Thales Belgium will increase its production capacity of 70mm rockets by a factor of 5 between now and 2025. When it comes to defense, Wallonia's potential is unquestionable. We need to step up collaboration between the federal government and Wallonia to position Walloon industry as effectively as possible in defense markets, as well as in European and NATO programs,” Borsus said.
Hervé Dammann, Executive Vice President of Land and Air Systems at Thales, for his part, said: “The inauguration of this new production line at the Thales site in Herstal demonstrates the Group's commitment to constant innovation and investment in strategic production capacities for Europe. Supported by the Belgian government and the European Commission as part of its Act in Support of Ammunition Production (ASAP), Thales Belgium is making its expertise as European leader in 70mm rocket systems available to the European armed forces.”
