Integration of Thales Spy'Ranger drones and CAESAr self-propelled howitzers in French artillery prepardness.

In January 2023, the 68th Régiment d'Artillerie d'Afrique (68RAA) conducted operational preparation for its deployment to Romania as part of the Aigle mission, Laurent Lagneau reports in Opex360. During this preparation, they utilized a firing campaign at Canjuers to train their drone section in fire support coordination. This training also included validating a drone-observed firing procedure through simulations using the Virtual Battlespace 3 system. This innovative operational approach was initially experimental but is now on track to become standard practice.
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From now on, the French artillery is conducting its training by combining CAESAr self-propelled howitzers and Thales Spy'Ranger drones (Picture source: Thales)

On December 7, 2023, the Ministry of Defense announced a significant development in artillery capabilities. The 40th Artillery Regiment conducted a five-week firing campaign that incorporated an accelerated intelligence-fire loop during operational preparation. This was achieved by integrating the self-propelled howitzer 155mm CAESAr with the System of Mini Reconnaissance Drones (SMDR). The SMDR serves multiple functions, such as intelligence gathering, target designation, transmitting firing requests through the ATLAS system, and assessing damage inflicted on the enemy. This integration allows for rapid firing within minutes.

The French Army emphasizes that the SMDR, along with drones, complements Forward Air Controllers teams and is set to replace the VAB OBS armored vehicles with the Griffon VOA, the Artillery Observation Version.

The success of this accelerated intelligence-fire loop is attributed to the Spy'Ranger reconnaissance mini-drones, developed by Thales. These drones boast an impressive 2-hour and 30-minute autonomy and can securely transmit high-definition video over a distance of at least 30 km. This is a significant improvement compared to the 10 km range of the Contact Reconnaissance Drones (DRAC) they replaced.

The Spy'Ranger fixed-wing contact drones have proved their worth in combat. As part of the French SMDR (Systèmes de Mini-Drones de Reconnaissance) programme, the Spy'Ranger 330s have carried out numerous missions alongside French forces since the end of 2020, contributing to the success of military operations and protecting soldiers during the French Barkhane operation in Mali.

With more than 2,000 flights and over 2,000 flying hours in overseas operations, the SMDR has accumulated unrivalled experience. After a period of learning and adaptation, the French army has gradually increased the SMDR's objectives, dedicating it to missions involving observation of enemy movements, surveillance of empty zones and routes, detection of enemy fire and Improvised explosive devices (IED), protection of convoys and disembarked combatants, day/night intelligence, BDA (Battle Damage Assessment) and the provision of coordinates for friendly fire guidance.

Defense News December 2023