France Fortifies Its Arsenal with a Significant 40mm Ammunition Acquisition
Yearly Deliveries Commencing in 2026
Currently utilized by the French Armed Forces, the 40mm telescoped munitions achieves a significant landmark with this substantial acquisition. The French Procurement Agency’s order for 25,000 cartridges will enable users to further incorporate and gain expertise in this innovative technology. The inaugural yearly deliveries will consist of 18,000 training rounds, escalating to as much as 30,000 in subsequent years. An initial shipment of 8,000 combat rounds finalizes this acquisition.
This agreement facilitates dual sourcing for essential components to enhance collaborative manufacturing capacity between KNDS France and BAE Systems in the UK. This dual sourcing initiative is enabled by the certification of new French suppliers (particularly in Haute-Savoie, Hautes-Pyrénées, Cher, and Manche), permitting a considerable improvement in production capabilities.
The 40mm telescoped technology is now operational and deployed across both terrestrial and maritime systems, including:
- The JAGUAR reconnaissance and combat armored vehicle, procured by the French and Belgian military forces;
- The RAPIDFire turret currently active on the Jacques Chevallier replenishment vessel (BRF), and set to be integrated onto additional vessels of the French Navy;
- The land-based variant of RAPIDFire, presented for the first time this year at the Paris Air Show.
The agreement encompasses the mass production of the PPM-CHR (Multi-Purpose Timed Perforating Projectile) designed for the RAPIDFire turret.
