France Plans to Quadruple Shell Production

The French industrial group Thales intends to quadruple its production of mortar shells by 2026, increasing output to 80,000 units due to a rise in orders from the French Ministry of Defense, according to a press release published on the company's website on Monday.

“To fulfill the new order, Thales will significantly increase production at its facility in La Ferté-Saint-Aubin near Orléans, which produced 20,000 120-millimeter mortar shells in 2023 and will produce over 80,000 shells by 2026,” the document states.

This munition will be supplied to military units equipped with towed rifled mortars, as well as MEPAC mobile mortar systems, the industrial group reported.

Deliveries under the order will take place between 2024 and 2029, with the first batch scheduled to arrive in the fourth quarter of this year, the press release states.