Thales and ArianeGroup conduct first firing of FLP-t 150 ballistic munition

Thales and ArianeGroup conducted the first firing of the FLP-t 150 ballistic munition on 5 May 2026. (ArianeGroup/Thales)

Thales and ArianeGroup announced in a joint press release on 12 May 2026 that they had conducted the first firing of the FLP-t 150 ballistic munition on 5 May. The companies said the launch from the Île du Levant island firing range in the Mediterranean south of Toulon was to validate the munition's architecture, technologies, and performance. It was supported by the French Direction Générale de l'Armement Essais de Missiles (DGA-EM), the French defence procurement agency's missile launch testing centre.

Vincent Pery, director of defence programmes at ArianeGroup, spoke of the test flight reaching apogees of “several tens of kilometres, its largely supersonic speeds, and the trajectory and manoeuvring constraints during both the powered and terminal phases,” adding that his company would “continue system development with our partner Thales in the next phase of the FLP-t programme. It also opens a new perspective for establishing a conventional ballistic sector that addresses tactical, operational, and strategic capability needs.”

FLP-t 150, with a stated operational range of over 150 km, was developed by Thales and ArianeGroup and the X-Fire multipurpose ground launcher by Thales and Soframe, designed to be compatible with France's and other countries' munitions. Thales and ArianeGroup said the munition's rear-mounted fin guidance system allows it to make precise terminal manoeuvres for precise strikes, including in global navigation satellite services (GNSS)-jammed environments.

FLP-t 150 is designed to replace the French Army's Lance-Roquettes Unitaires (LRU) multiple rocket launchers (MRLs) that will become obsolete by 2030. Separate, longer-range ballistic missiles better able to penetrate enemy defences are also planned.