Thales Belgium, the European leader in 70-mm rocket systems, has inaugurated a new production line at its Herstal site, a few months after the Belgian Minister of Defence Ludivine Dedonder signed a letter of intent expressing her support for the ramp-up of Thales’s ordnance production activities. The higher production rates will make it possible to respond faster to the ammunition requirements of the armed forces.
The rocket is the NATO-standard 70-mm (2.75 inch) calibre currently being used in Ukraine. The new capacity is a major step in a €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 inauguration was attended by the Belgian Minister of Defence, Ludivine Dedonder.
By ramping up production, Thales is helping strengthen the ammunition capabilities of Europe’s armed forces. “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”, said Hervé Dammann, Executive Vice President, Land and Air Systems, Thales.
