Thales has received a new order from the French Army and will ramp up production capacity to meet the capability requirements of the armed forces
Less than two years after awarding Thales a contract for 120 mm munitions
with a firm order for 3,000 illuminating mortar rounds
France's Joint Munitions Command has signed a new contract with Thales to supply for tens of thousands of 120 mm rounds
completing the order for 15,000 rounds signed in 2023
High-explosive (HE) rounds make up two-thirds of the total order
with practice rounds accounting for the remaining third
The ordnance will be used by towed 120 mm rifled towed mortar systems
and in due course by the MEPAC1 variant of the Griffon multi-role armoured vehicle integrated with the ATLAS2 automated artillery fire control system
Thales will provide the armed forces with technical assistance
support for integration of the mortar systems on board the vehicles
and maintenance services for the mortar systems and munitions
The La Ferté Saint Aubin site near Orleans will increase its production rates
from an overall annual output of 20,000 rounds in 2023
The munitions will be delivered between 2024 and 2029
with a first shipment scheduled for the last quarter of 2024
In addition to the La Ferté Saint Aubin site
a number of Thales partner SMEs in the defence industrial and technological base
and in particular the companies manufacturing machined projectile bodies and mechanical components
will be involved in fulfilling the new order
The rifled mortars manufactured by Thales are three times more accurate than smooth-bore mortars and the only mortars to match the performance of 155 mm artillery systems
"We deeply value the continuing confidence of the French land forces
This order for 120 mm ordnance is an integral part of the broader policy to build capacity and we are fully mobilised to meet this requirement in terms of both production rates and product performance," said Hervé Dammann
1MEPAC: Mortier Embarqué Pour l’Appui au Contact / mounted mortar for front-line fire support
2 ATLAS: Automatisation des Tirs et des Liaisons de l’Artillerie Sol-sol / Automated fire control and ground-to-ground artillery links
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The 120 mm 2R2M mortar showing its loading tray to the rear of the 120 mm rifled mortar barrel  (Thales)
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