French defense firms MBDA and Safran say they are in the final phase of preparing their bid for Thundart, a ground-launched ballistic missile project now being weighed in France’s 2026 budget debate.
The joint proposal has advanced far enough to appear in the budget trade-offs now underway in Paris, a sign the program has cleared an important institutional hurdle—even if it still falls short of an actual procurement decision.
But Thundart isn’t the only industrial vision in play. ArianeGroup, another major French aerospace and defense player, is separately in talks with Berlin about its own ground-based ballistic missile concept, according to reporting by the defense site opex360.com.
Thundart enters France’s 2026 budget conversation
MBDA and Safran’s partnership on Thundart is designed to combine two core building blocks of a ground-launched ballistic missile. MBDA brings experience in tactical and strategic missiles, while Safran contributes propulsion and navigation know-how.
French budget documents reviewed as part of the 2026 finance bill explicitly cite Thundart among the programs under examination. Being listed in parliamentary budget discussions does not amount to an order, but it signals the project has reached a level of credibility inside the government process.
ArianeGroup’s Germany track highlights competing European approaches
ArianeGroup’s outreach to Germany points to a fragmented European industrial landscape for this kind of capability. While Paris is reviewing Thundart on the French side, ArianeGroup is seeking a German anchor for its own concept.
The two approaches could ultimately coexist—or collide—if shared European funding becomes available. The European Commission has already shown a willingness to finance defense programs, including backing the development of a new main battle tank.
How Thundart fits MBDA and Safran’s broader strategies
For MBDA, Thundart aligns with a wider push into longer-range munitions. The Franco-British missile maker has pointed to programs such as Crossbow Heavy and Spear Glider as evidence it can scale production quickly.
Safran, meanwhile, is positioning itself across major French strategic programs, spanning space propulsion and military guidance systems.
