Thales arms maker delivers new missiles to Ukraine designed to take out Russian drones
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European arms manufacturer Thales has developed and delivered anti-drone missiles equipped with airburst warheads to Ukraine, Business Insider reported on Oct. 6.
The weapon has a maximum range of 3,000 meters and is designed to counter Shahed-type attack drones that Russia has used extensively since late 2022 in large-scale strikes on Ukrainian cities.
Thales' new FZ123 warhead is fitted on 70-millimeter missiles and packed with thousands of small steel pellets, which disperse over a 25-meter radius upon detonation of half a kilogram of explosive material.
The resulting cloud of shrapnel can destroy or severely damage drones flying within range.
Thomas Colinet, Thales Belgium's domain director for vehicles and tactical systems, confirmed that Ukraine had already received shipments and expressed satisfaction with their performance.
"The good thing for us is, if they are asking for more, it means they are happy with it," he said.
Colinet did not specify how many warheads had been delivered, but Thales Belgium reportedly aims to produce around 3,500 missiles by the end of 2025 and expand its annual capacity to 10,000 by 2026.
Missiles equipped with FZ123 warheads are significantly cheaper than traditional anti-aircraft missiles used by Western militaries, though more expensive than interceptor drones. Even Thales' most advanced laser-guided mini-missiles cost no more than 20% of a conventional anti-air missile's price.
For comparison, the cheapest AIM-7 Sparrow missiles, used by F-16 aircraft, cost about $125,000 each, while Shahed drones are estimated to cost between $500 and $5,000 per unit.
The warhead can also be mounted on unguided 70-millimeter missiles. Thales Belgium currently produces about 30,000 of these per year and could double output to 60,000 by adding a second shift.
The introduction of these systems occurs as Russia's use of Shahed-type drones in Ukraine increases. Anti-drone defenses have become a top priority for Ukraine's national security.
"Ukraine is already using interceptors to shoot down Shaheds and is expanding their production," President Volodymyr Zelensky's office wrote on June 21.
