Thales-KNDS France Unveil RAPIDFire Land

A land-based variant of the 40mm RAPIDFire Naval defence system, RAPIDFire Land is a remotely operated artillery system co-developed by Thales and KNDS France. The French defence procurement agency (DGA) has awarded a contract for the production of 48 of these systems, and the first two RAPIDFire systems ordered earlier are now operational on board France's new-generation fleet replenishment tankers.

RAPIDFire can be installed on multiple platform types, and the land-based version will meet emerging operational requirements, in particular to protect sensitive sites from a wide range of threats including saturation attacks.

The airburst munition, which represents the cutting edge of air defence capabilities, is reaching an important milestone.

The French defence procurement agency (DGA) has already ordered 14 RAPIDFire systems to equip French Navy vessels. Two systems have been installed on board the fleet replenishment tanker (BRF) Jacques Chevallier, which has completed two long-duration deployments, including several live fire exercises, with France’s carrier strike group. Two others were recently installed on France’s second BRF tanker Jacques Stosskopf ahead of an upcoming long-duration deployment. A fifth system will soon equip a new French Navy offshore patrol vessel.

The RAPIDFire system was qualified in early 2025 and can now be used with all existing 40CT munitions. As the first remotely operated 40 mm system to incorporate the 40CT cannon, RAPIDFire provides a close-in self-defence capability to protect platforms against modern air and surface threats. It features state-of-the-art optronics jointly designed by Thales and KNDS France, and the new 40 mm cased telescoped munition technology developed by CTAI, a subsidiary of KNDS France.

This solution provides unmatched firepower, with a ready rack of up to 140 rounds, corresponding to dozens of target interceptions with no need to reload. The fire control system recalibrates its aim after every round fired to account for the target’s speed and direction of travel. RAPIDFire is designed to engage a broad range of threats—from ships to light aircraft, drones, loitering munitions and missiles—at ranges of up to 4 kilometres. Its 40 mm cannon is compatible with all telescoped munitions, including the A3B (Airburst) round, which is particularly effective against aerial threats.

RAPIDFire’s underlying technology is versatile enough for the system to be adapted for various applications. A land-based version is now planned following discussions with the French Air and Space Force on the need to protect high-value assets at its air bases in France and during overseas deployments. KNDS France and Thales are developing the land version of RAPIDFire in two configurations:

•        Semi-mobile for site protection, with a 20-foot platform set up on the ground that can be readily moved and re-deployed to other locations.

•        Mobile, with the 20-foot platform mounted on a vehicle to protect high-value assets in the theatre of operations.

Leveraging the proven airburst technology of the GPR-AB-T round, the Anti Aerial Airburst (A3B) munition delivers a payload of tungsten sub-projectiles with a directional (frontal) terminal effect, providing enhanced effectiveness against various types of aerial targets: drones, helicopters, light aircraft, fighter jets, low-end subsonic missiles and RAM (rocket, artillery, mortar) threats.

Development of the A3B munition is ongoing (currently at Technology Readiness Level 5), with full operational capability in anti-air mode expected in 2027. A contract modification was awarded in late 2024 for the development, production engineering, qualification and delivery of a first batch of 500 A3B munitions with the RAPIDFire system.