Thales missiles for Ukraine: Germany financed the supply of weapons

Ukraine received about 30,000 unguided and approximately 3,000 guided 70-mm missiles from the Belgian company Thales, which became one of the most notable deliveries of Western weapons of this type.

According to Forces Operations Blog, financing for the purchase was provided by Germany.

This supply has already had a significant impact on the tactics of the Ukrainian Air Force. Thanks to the new ammunition, about ten Mi-8 helicopters have been modernized, which have received significantly greater firepower, increased accuracy and operational flexibility. This has allowed to reduce dependence on outdated Soviet 80-mm missiles.

At the same time, Thales Belgium is actively increasing production of modern 70 mm anti-drone missiles, which are already used by the Ukrainian military. By the end of 2025, the company plans to produce 3,500 FZ275 LGR missiles, and in 2026 – up to 10,000 units.

One of the key developments was the FZ123 warhead, filled with thousands of steel balls that, when detonated, fly out in a radius of up to 25 meters, effectively destroying enemy drones. The launch of such missiles is carried out from Mi-8 helicopters or from 70 mm launchers, such as the Vampire. These complexes are already actively used in Ukraine and the demand for them significantly exceeds Thales’ production capabilities.

Due to the high needs of the Ukrainian forces, the company launched the GUEPARD program, receiving 9.6 million euros in funding under the ASAP initiative. This will allow it to increase production capacity and get closer to the medium-term goal of producing 10,000 missiles per year. From 2026, part of the production is planned to be moved closer to Eastern Europe. The new site near the borders of Poland or Hungary will produce about 5,000 missiles per year.

New system variants are also being developed, including the FZ606 for the Tiger, AW249 and H145M helicopters, as well as improved versions of anti-drone munitions. Given the increasing strategic importance of these deliveries, Thales is strengthening the security of its production facilities and coordinating security measures with the government.

As a reminder, it was previously reported that Thales announced the development of a compact anti-aircraft missile with a unique FZ123 warhead and the start of its supply to Ukraine .

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