Thales has opened a new assembly line at its Herstal site in Belgium to accommodate a five-fold increase in the production of 70 mm laser-guided rockets.
The inauguration of the new line, which took place on 1 July 2024 and was attended by Belgian Defence Minister Ludivine Dedonder, is a major step in a EUR 20 million investment plan launched in 2023 and boosted by the support of the Belgian government and the European Union’s Act in Support of Ammunition Production (ASAP) plan.
The higher production rates will make it possible to respond faster to the requirements of armed forces, including those of Ukraine, for NATO-standard 70 mm laser-guided rockets, of which Thales Belgium is the only manufacturer in Europe.
To boost output Thales has hired more than 50 new staff, strengthened its supply chain and moved towards vertical integration of a number of additional activities. Production capacity will increase from 1,000 guided rockets currently to 5,000 by 2025.
The munitions developed by Thales Belgium, which are laser-guided variants of standard 70 mm unguided rockets, offer a high level of interoperability and resistance to jamming and can be deployed by many types of manned and unmanned land, air and naval platforms. They are also suitable for use by counter-unmanned aerial vehicle systems and to support ground-to-ground strike capabilities.
“The expansion of the 70 mm rocket production line responds to rapidly growing international demand, as well as to the needs of defence, due to a worrying global security situation,” Dedonder stated at the inauguration. “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’ choice of Belgium for this expansion reinforces the R&D co-operation agreement signed with the Ministry of Defence in November 2023. It also highlights the exceptional skills of Walloon workers in the field of precision technologies.”
“The geopolitical context in which we live today forces us to review our priorities and adapt,” added Willy Borsus, vice president of Wallonia and Belgium’s minister for the economy, research and innovation. “I would like to underline the involvement of Thales Belgium, which is responding to the needs expressed by the European armed forces.”
Hervé Dammann, executive vice president of Thales’ Land and Air Systems business, noted that the inauguration of the new production line in Herstal “demonstrates the Group’s commitment to constant innovation and investment in strategic production capacities for Europe”.
