Thales Belgium has created a new 70mm airburst rocket system featuring the FZ123 warhead, aimed at defeating Shahed-type drones and other similar aerial threats. The company has already delivered an unspecified number of these munitions to Ukraine, where they are being used to strengthen air defense capabilities against mass drone attacks.
The FZ123 warhead employs around 900 grams of high explosive to disperse thousands of steel pellets upon detonation, creating an 80-foot-wide fragmentation cloud. This blast radius allows it to neutralize NATO Class II and III drones, ranging from medium tactical UAVs to large long-endurance platforms, and is also effective against drone swarms.
The laser-guided rocket can be deployed from multiple launch platforms, including truck-mounted VAMPIRE systems and Mi-8 helicopters. It requires constant laser illumination for guidance; if contact is lost, the munition continues toward the last known laser point before reverting to a free-flight path. An unguided version of the 70mm rocket can also be fitted with the same airburst warhead for broader operational use.
Thales currently produces about 30,000 70mm rockets per year but has stated that output could reach 60,000 annually with increased manufacturing shifts, provided component suppliers can sustain demand. While the cost of the new FZ123 variant has not been revealed, industry sources suggest it remains far less expensive than conventional missiles while offering higher effectiveness against drones compared to most low-cost interceptors currently fielded by Ukraine.
