Thales Belgium has unveiled a low-cost 70mm rocket equipped with the FZ123 airburst warhead, designed to combat Shahed-type drones and similar unmanned threats. According to the company, an undisclosed number of these rockets have already been supplied to Ukraine for operational use.
The FZ123 warhead carries thousands of small steel pellets dispersed by about 900 grams (2 pounds) of high explosive. Upon detonation, it generates a wide fragment cloud spanning roughly 24 meters (80 feet), capable of destroying or severely damaging NATO Class II and Class III drones, including medium tactical and high-endurance platforms.
The laser-guided 70mm variant can be launched from various systems such as L3Harris’ VAMPIRE truck-mounted launcher and modified Mi-8 helicopters. For accurate strikes, the rocket requires continuous laser designation until impact. If the laser signal is interrupted, it will continue toward the last known target point for five seconds before reverting to ballistic mode, explained Olivier Heuschen, Thales’ head of strategy and marketing for vehicles and tactical systems.
Thales also confirmed that the FZ123 warhead can be fitted onto unguided 70mm rockets, allowing for rapid adaptation and mass production. The company currently manufactures around 30,000 unguided rockets annually and could potentially double output to 60,000 with additional production shifts, depending on supplier capacity. While pricing details remain undisclosed, the airburst variant is said to cost more than typical drone interceptors priced between $500 and $5,000, yet remains significantly cheaper and faster to produce than traditional surface-to-air missiles.
