Thales Belgium Supplies 70 mm Anti-Drone Airburst Rockets to Ukraine Against Shahed-type Loitering Munitions

Thales Belgium has developed a cost-effective 70mm rocket fitted with the new FZ123 airburst warhead, designed specifically to counter the growing threat of Shahed-type loitering munitions and other small- to medium-sized drones. An undisclosed quantity of these rockets has already been delivered to Ukraine, marking one of the first operational uses of the system.

The FZ123 warhead carries about 900 grams of high explosive surrounded by thousands of small steel pellets. Upon detonation, the charge disperses a fragment cloud roughly 24 meters (80 feet) wide, capable of damaging or destroying medium tactical drones and larger unmanned aircraft. This makes it suitable for defending against both individual drones and swarm attacks, a challenge that traditional missile systems find difficult to address economically.

The rocket can be used in both guided and unguided configurations. The guided version, which relies on continuous laser designation, can be launched from a variety of platforms — including L3Harris’ VAMPIRE vehicle-mounted launchers and modified Mi-8 helicopters. If the guiding laser is interrupted, the rocket continues toward the last known target for several seconds before switching to ballistic flight. The unguided variant, meanwhile, allows operators to use the same airburst warhead at lower cost and without complex targeting systems.

Thales Belgium, which already manufactures around 30,000 standard 70mm rockets each year, said it could double production to 60,000 annually if supplier capacity allows. Demand for the new anti-drone version has exceeded expectations, with Ukrainian orders already surpassing current output. Thales plans to produce about 3,500 FZ123-equipped rockets by the end of 2025 and reach a yearly capacity of 10,000 units in 2026.

While the company has not revealed the price per rocket, analysts note that they remain cheaper and faster to manufacture than conventional surface-to-air missiles. Even though the guided variant costs more than some small Ukrainian-built interceptor drones — typically priced between $500 and $5,000 — the FZ123 rocket fills an important middle ground: an affordable, scalable solution for defending against mass drone attacks.

The airburst design provides a wider engagement envelope, increasing hit probability against small, agile targets that are hard to strike directly. This makes the FZ123 particularly useful in layered air-defense networks, where it can act as a short-range option alongside radar-guided missiles, jamming systems, and interceptor UAVs. However, accurate timing and target proximity are crucial for maximum effect, and the use of fragmenting warheads requires careful employment in populated areas.

With drone warfare expanding rapidly, Thales’ FZ123-equipped rockets reflect a growing emphasis on adaptable, lower-cost munitions that can be deployed from existing platforms. As production ramps up and operational data from Ukraine accumulates, the system is expected to play a significant role in shaping future counter-UAS strategies across Europe and beyond.