Thales FZ275

History

The FZ275 is a 70 mm (2.75 in) semi-active laser guided rocket developed by Thales Belgium, formerly Forges de Zeebrugge. It is part of Thales' 70 mm rocket system, in use with the armed forces of more than 50 countries, and is designed to close the gap between long-range high-value missiles and shorter-range guns and unguided rockets by providing precision strike capability against soft and lightly armoured targets. The rocket is claimed to be the lightest and longest-range laser guided rocket in the 70 mm class.

In June 2016, Thales was named preferred supplier of guided rocket systems for Airbus Helicopters' military helicopter range equipped with the HForce weapon system, and in March 2017 a contract was awarded to integrate the FZ275 LGR on the H145M helicopter. In January 2022, the rocket was test-fired from Arnold Defense's LAND-LGR4 "Fletcher" ground launcher, following which formal certification was received. In April 2023, Greece's SARISA unmanned combat aerial vehicle, developed by SAS Technology, successfully launched the FZ275 during testing overseen by the Hellenic General Directorate for Defense Investments and Armaments. In February 2023, Thales and Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) signed a memorandum of understanding to establish FZ275 LGR production facilities in India. In June 2024, Thales, Poland's WB Electronics, and AREX signed a memorandum of understanding to develop a remote weapon system incorporating FZ275 LGRs. On 5 October 2026, AERO Vodochody and Thales Belgium signed a memorandum of understanding for the continued integration and testing of the FZ275 on the L-39 Skyfox, designating the armed configuration as the "Drone Hunter." Ukraine has also received combat modules containing five 70 mm FZ275 rockets from Thales for countering Russian unmanned aircraft.

Specifications

• Calibre: 70 mm (2.75 in)
• Nominal length: approximately 1,800 mm
• All-up round weight: 12.7 kg (including 4.1 kg warhead)
• Guidance: semi-active laser, compatible with STANAG 3733 or user-defined codes
• Steering: four folding canards
• Range: 1.5 to 7 km
• Circular error probable: less than 1 m at 6 km
• Warhead: high-explosive fragmentation, pre-fragmented shell, 1 kg compound B explosive
• Warhead penetration: ST37-2-grade steel up to 6 mm
• Kill radius: 9 m
• Target engagement: stationary and moving targets at speeds up to approximately 60 km/h
• Launch modes: lock-on before launch and lock-on after launch
• Compatibility: compatible with Thales' conventional 70 mm rocket systems

Variants

The LGR275 Proxy is a proximity-fuzed variant of the FZ275, unveiled by Thales at Eurosatory 2026. It is intended for engagement of small targets that a direct hit might miss.

Platform Integration

For air-launched use on the L-39 Skyfox Drone Hunter, the FZ275 is carried in Thales FZ800 pods, which are reusable digital seven-tube rocket blocks with a declared service life of 100 launches per tube. The aircraft configuration pairs two FZ800 pods on underwing pylons with a SiNAB Phoenix targeting pod on the centerline for laser designation. For ground use, the LAND-LGR4 "Fletcher" launcher is a four-tube system with an empty weight of 60 lb that can be fitted to a vehicle, a watercraft, or operated as an independent platform.