RENAULT GROUP AND THALES ENTER INTO A STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP TO DEVELOP A SOVEREIGN DRONE INDUSTRY IN FRANCE

• Thales and Renault Group announce the signing of a partnership agreement to jointly develop and industrialise the large-scale production of Thales’ TOUTATIS loitering munition. This announcement follows the unveiling of the innovative 4 TROOP tactical vehicle, presented by the two Groups yesterday.
• This strategic partnership combines Thales’ cutting-edge defence expertise with Renault Group’s industrial engineering and manufacturing capabilities to establish a sovereign, agile and competitive drone industry in France, fully aligned with the requirements of the wartime economy.
• Through this collaboration, production of loitering munition could begin as early as 2027, with an initial manufacturing capacity of 1,000 units per month from the first year, marking a significant ramp-up in France’s industrial capacities in this strategic field.
• This partnership will help secure a resilient and sovereign supply of munitions for France, while addressing the evolving operational and strategic requirements of the armed forces and strengthening the competitiveness of the national defence industry.

Boulogne-Billancourt, 16 June 2026 – Designed for high-intensity conflicts, the TOUTATIS short-range loitering munition provides armed forces with a new operational advantage. Highly versatile, it can be deployed by dismounted soldiers and launched from a variety of platforms, including combat vehicles, aircraft and naval platforms. Resistant to electromagnetic jamming and equipped with a mission-configurable warhead, TOUTATIS is capable of neutralising targets such as combat vehicles while ensuring human operators remain in the decision-making loop. Able to operate as part of a drone swarm, TOUTATIS is a scalable system designed to adapt to evolving operational requirements.

"I am delighted to announce this new strategic partnership between Thales and Renault Group. It unites the strengths of two French champions in support of a sovereign national drone industry. Renault Group contributes to the TOUTATIS project its industrial expertise and the highest standards of the automotive industry to design, industrialise and manufacture at scale, within shortened timelines and at optimised costs. I am proud of the work accomplished by our teams. It makes a tangible contribution to the initiatives undertaken with the French Ministry of the Armed Forces and both French and European defence efforts.”  François PROVOST, Chief Executive Officer of Renault Group.

“This partnership with Renault Group marks an important milestone in strengthening sovereign, large-scale, world-class capabilities in the field of drones. By combining Thales’ excellence in advanced technologies with Renault Group’s industrial strength, this partnership addresses the needs of the armed forces while meeting the requirements of the wartime economy.”  Patrice Caine, Chairman and CEO, Thales.

At Eurosatory, Renault Group and Thales also unveiled 4 TROOP, an innovative tactical vehicle designed to meet the evolving operational requirements of land forces.  By integrating drones, sensors, hybrid secure communications and artificial intelligence-enhanced decision-support tools, 4 TROOP provides armed forces with a vehicle offering significantly enhanced operational capabilities.

About Renault Group 
Renault Group is at the forefront of a mobility that is reinventing itself. The Group relies on the complementarity of its three automotive brands – Renault, Dacia, Alpine – and its financial captive – Mobilize Financial Services – to offer sustainable and innovative mobility solutions to its customers. Established in more than 100 countries, Renault Group sold 2.337 million vehicles in 2025. It employs more than 100,000 people who embody its Purpose every day, so that mobility brings people closer.

Ready to pursue challenges both on the road and in competition, the Group is committed to an ambitious and value-generating transformation focused on the development of new technologies and services, and a new range of even more competitive, balanced, and electrified vehicles. In line with environmental challenges, Renault Group’s ambition is to achieve carbon neutrality in Europe by 2040 and worldwide by 2050.

More information : https://www.renaultgroup.com/en/

About Thales
Thales (Euronext Paris: HO) is a global leader in advanced technologies for the Defence, Aerospace, and Cyber & Digital sectors. Its portfolio of innovative products and services helps address several major challenges: sovereignty, security, sustainability and inclusion.

The Group allocates €4.5 billion per year in Research & Development in key areas, particularly for critical environments, such as Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Quantum and Cloud technologies.

Thales has more than 85,000 employees in 65 countries. In 2025, the Group generated sales of €22.1 billion.