Ukraine Uses European Airburst Warheads to Combat Rising Drone Threats
European manufacturer Thales is ramping up production of 70 mm rockets with a new warhead that explodes into a cloud of thousands of steel balls, making it a cheap and effective means of destroying enemy drones in Ukraine.
The Gaze reports on it, referring to Business Insider.
The European company Thales Belgium has developed and is ramping up production of the FZ123 warhead for 70-mm rockets designed to combat enemy drones.
The warhead contains thousands of tiny steel balls and, under the action of approximately two pounds of explosive material, creates a cloud of balls with a diameter of about 80 feet (~24 m) when detonated in the air. This effect is similar to that of buckshot — the balls can damage or destroy single drones and swarms of drones.
The FZ123 is already in use in Ukraine, and demand from Kyiv exceeds Thales' current production capacity.
"The good thing for us is, if they are asking for more, it means they are happy with it," said Thomas Colinet, Thales Belgium's domain director for vehicles and tactical systems.
He refused to disclose how many warheads had been sent to the Kyiv forces.
The warhead can be mounted on both guided 70 mm laser-guided missiles and unguided versions; the missiles are launched, in particular, from helicopters.
According to the manufacturer, such ammunition is a relatively inexpensive way to destroy Class II (NATO standard) drones and heavier classes up to ~3000 m. Thus, they fill the niche between cheap drone interceptors and significantly more expensive air defense missiles.
Thales does not disclose exact prices or the number of warheads delivered, but the company plans to significantly increase production: about 3,500 missiles by the end of the year and a capacity of up to 10,000 per year by 2026.
Olivier Heuschen, head of strategy and marketing for vehicles and tactical systems at Thales Belgium, said that they plan to cooperate with Ukraine on the assembly and repair of some 70 mm missiles there, as announced by officials in Kyiv in November.
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