French companies Thales and Renault join forces for large-scale production of military drones.
On Tuesday, during the Eurosatory fair, the French defense company and the Parisian automaker presented a second strategic collaboration. The two groups signed an agreement for the large-scale development of the remote-controlled munition Toutatis, reports Les Echos. The goal: to increase production capacity from about 100 units per year to 1,000 per month starting next year.
The agreement represents the second joint project between Renault and Thales in the military sector, following a previous collaboration for the development of a vehicle intended for the armed forces, recalls Reuters. The initiative is part of the broader European effort to strengthen the defense industry and increase the production of unmanned systems.
Earlier this year it emerged that the French automaker will collaborate with fellow French company Turgis Gaillard for the design and production of a tactical drone, as part of a contract awarded by the French Ministry of the Armed Forces.
All the details
WHAT THE AGREEMENT ENTAILS
Under the agreement, Renault will produce the Toutatis hovering drone, a loitering munition designed by Thales, at one of its plants. Production will reach 1,000 units per month from next year and will be mainly aimed at international markets.
This versatile munition can be operated by a soldier and deployed from a combat vehicle, an aircraft, or a naval platform, emphasizes Les Echos. Resistant to electromagnetic interference and equipped with an interchangeable warhead depending on the mission, it can neutralize targets such as combat vehicles and can operate in swarms.
The two companies highlighted that the collaboration will significantly strengthen French industrial capacity in a sector considered strategic. Hovering drones, capable of surveying a target area before striking, have taken on a central role in contemporary conflicts, particularly in the war in Ukraine.
THE OPERATIONAL NEEDS BEHIND THE PROJECT
“We started from military needs,” said Thales CEO Patrice Caine. “We carefully examined what is happening in various operational theaters, especially in the East, but not exclusively.”
The acceleration of European defense programs has been driven both by the Russian invasion of Ukraine and by the change in the U.S. foreign policy approach during Donald Trump’s presidency. In this context, several European countries are seeking to leverage the production capacity available in the automotive sector to rapidly increase the production of military equipment, reports Reuters.
ALL OF RENAULT’S DEFENSE PROJECTS
The initiative with Thales adds to other programs already launched by Renault in the drone sector. Through the Chorus project, developed together with the French manufacturer Turgis Gaillard, the group is working on a long-range drone. The first prototype is expected to be completed by the end of the year, while production should reach 600 units per month at Renault’s Le Mans plant.
While expanding its presence in the defense sector, Renault has reiterated that automobile production remains its main activity. At the same time, the group is also collaborating with the Belgian company John Cockerill for the development of a ground drone.
