France Ditches India’s Pinaka
France will test a European version of the renowned US-origin High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) in 2026, months after expressing interest in the Indian “Pinaka” Multiple Barrel Rocket Launcher System (MBLRS).
According to a Defense News article from April 10, France intends to test a rocket artillery system that was developed domestically by the middle of 2026.
To enable the demonstration within a year, the French Directorate General for Armament (DGA) is now looking for technological solutions.
The initiative is a component of DGA’s efforts to create a 150-kilometre-range tactical strike capability. Currently, two consortiums are working on their prototypes: Safran and MBDA, and Thales and ArianeGroup.
Essentially a modified version of the M270 multiple-launch rocket system (MLRS), the French Lance-Roquettes Unitaire is nearing the end of its service life by 2027.
MLRS
Despite calls from officials and lawmakers, France now appears to focus on building indigenous capability, after previously assessing global MLRS options.
Artillery is still essential in contemporary warfare, as evidenced by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which brought conventional warfare back to Europe.
Ukraine’s devastating HIMARS strikes changed the dynamics of the battlefield at a pivotal moment by accurately and lethally destroying vital Russian military positions.
We don’t know the precise characteristics of the French MLRS. But we are aware that it will compete with and resemble the American HIMARS.
HIMARS reaches a top road speed of 85 km/h, making it highly mobile in conflict zones. It offers outstanding flexibility for rapid deployment and support in active combat areas.
The ER-MLRS rocket hits targets up to 45 kilometres away. The advanced GMLRS can reach 70 kilometres, while tactical missiles stretch as far as 300 kilometres. This gives HIMARS the ability to strike distant targets across various terrains.
France’s rocket artillery program
France’s rocket artillery programme, FLP-T, received €600 million in funding through its 2024–2030 defence budget. However, few details about the programme have been publicly released.
France plans to acquire at least 13 systems by 2030 and reach 26 by 2035. In November, DGA signed an innovation contract to fund the FLP-T program’s first phase.
One contract went to the Safran and MBDA consortium, which introduced a system called Thundart. Thundart is based on proven subsystems and designed entirely in Europe.
It avoids U.S. arms trade laws and allows France to control production speed. Each consortium must submit a final proposal after the current 18-month development contracts end.
The French government will decide which design to adopt once the protests have settled. Officials say France may also consider off-the-shelf systems if needed.
Allies May Buy Local HIMARS Rival
European nations could boost defense independently, without relying on Trump, by building a HIMARS-style system in Europe. Trump has urged Europe to spend more on defense, often criticising its allies and pressuring them over Ukraine.
This pressure has made some allies rethink their earlier choices to buy American weapons. Many European countries now advocate for rearmament and self-reliance as a safeguard against U.S. policy shifts. France has emerged as a leader in this new push for European defense independence.
Recently, European forces have looked at rocket artillery from South Korea, Israel, or the United States. But the EU has urged its members to spend more of their defense budgets within the 27-nation bloc.
France could now offer a much-needed European alternative to imported rocket artillery. Still, reports suggest France has shown strong interest in India’s HIMARS alternative, the Pinaka system. This interest comes even as France ramps up efforts to develop and test its domestic MLRS.
Pinaka Attracted French Interest
Brigadier General Stephane Richou of the French Army stated that the service was assessing the Indian Pinaka system during a visit to India last year.
We are comparing Pinaka to the systems of the leading countries because we require a similar one. At the time, Brigadier Richou told an Indian news agency, “This is cooperation, not just a business partnership.”
“In our opinion, the Indian defense industry is very effective. “We are examining India’s capabilities just as thoroughly as we are examining the capabilities of the top equipment-supplying nations,” he continued.
To replace the Russian GRAD BM-21, India developed the Pinaka system. The MBLRS system is suitable for use in contemporary security settings.
Because of its shoot-and-scoot capability, the launcher can avoid counter-battery fire, which is essential for survival in a battlefield overrun by drones.
With a 38-kilometre range, quick reaction time, and a high rate of fire, the Pinaka Mk-1 is a free-flight artillery rocket area bombardment system.
While a battery can fire 72 rockets, a single Pinaka system can fire 12 rockets from a multi-barrel launcher in 44 seconds.
The DRDO is developing a more advanced rocket system with a range of 60 to 90 kilometres. In addition to the improved version, the DRDO has also tested a guided version of Pinaka, which ranges from 70 to 90 kilometres.
Conclusion
The ability to operate each launcher independently is the best feature. You can fire rockets individually or in groups, and you can fire them in different directions. There are four different ways to operate the launcher: autonomous, standalone, remote, and manual.
This state-of-the-art capability might have caught France’s attention due to its growing popularity in the export market. India’s DRDO earlier signed an export deal with Armenia for the Pinaka system, marking a major indigenous defense milestone.
This was India’s first export of a fully homegrown weapon with almost no imported components. A French brigadier noted strong defense ties between France and India.
He highlighted shared platforms like Scorpene submarines and Rafale jets as proof of strategic partnership. However, France hasn’t moved forward with a Pinaka purchase.
That likely reflects its ongoing efforts to develop its own multi-barrel rocket launcher system.
References
- Defense News – France to Test HIMARS-Style Launcher (2026)
defensenews.com/france-himars-test - EurAsian Times – France Eyes Pinaka, Builds Own System
eurasiantimes.com/france-pinaka-artillery - DRDO – Pinaka Rocket System Overview
drdo.gov.in/pinaka - Defense News Today—Regional Defence Updates
defensenewstoday.info - Pakistan Defence Forum – France vs. Pinaka Discussion
fb.com/pakistandefenseforum
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