New multi-munition launcher prototype to be tested by the French Navy on board a frigate.

In an interview with Le Marin Ouest France on June 7, 2026, Rear Admiral David Desfougères, Deputy Chief of Naval Plans and Programs, confirmed that the French Navy is preparing to test a prototype of Naval Group’s Lanceur Modulaire Polyvalent (LMP) weapon system on a frigate. This initiative stems from a formalized feedback process introduced after deployments in the Red Sea, where French surface combatants encountered asymmetric threats such as drones, unmanned surface vehicles, and ballistic missiles. These engagements led to rapid updates in ship systems and established a permanent procedure for incorporating operational experience into ongoing ship design and modernization.
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Each LMP module could be equipped with a range of payloads such as surface-to-air missiles, laser-guided rockets, lightweight anti-ship missiles, anti-submarine grenades, decoys, and eventually, teleoperated munitions or drones. (Picture source: Naval Group)

Developed by Naval Group in partnership with Thales and KNDS, the Lanceur Modulaire Polyvalent (LMP), known in English as the Multi-Purpose and Modular Launching System (MPLS), is designed to provide near-field self-defense coverage out to eight kilometers and can be integrated with a ship’s Combat Management System (CMS) or operate independently. This close-in weapon system (CIWS) consists of one or more turrets that move on two axes, circular and elevation, and can engage moving targets using onboard fire control and ballistic calculators. Each turret includes four independent munition modules. These modules can be equipped with a range of payloads such as Mistral surface-to-air missiles, 70 mm laser-guided rockets, lightweight anti-ship missiles, anti-submarine grenades, decoys, and eventually, teleoperated munitions or drones. A full turret may hold up to 16 short-range missiles or 80 rockets, although its configuration is intended to be mission-specific, mixing munition types according to operational requirements. The launcher is compatible with both pneumatic and pyrotechnic ejection and includes integrated pyrotechnic deflectors to minimize heat damage to nearby structures. The architecture supports simplified loading and maintenance at sea or in port, thanks to preconfigured ammunition containers and modular installation.

Intended to support multi-munition deployment with a focus on flexible, reconfigurable defense in high-threat maritime zones, the LMP has been under accelerated development since 2024 at Naval Group’s Ruelle facility, with a land-based test firing campaign beginning that same year. A live firing of a 70 mm rocket module developed by Thales in Belgium was conducted successfully in October. The complete system weighs less than 3.5 tonnes, including a one-tonne payload, enabling installation on multiple ship classes without requiring extensive structural changes. Integration studies are underway for the system’s deployment aboard various naval platforms, including Gowind-class corvettes, Mistral-class amphibious assault ships, and Frégates de Défense et d’Intervention (FDI). On Mistral-class vessels, the LMP could replace the Simbad manually operated missile launchers currently positioned on port and starboard sponsons. On Gowind corvettes, the system could be installed on the helicopter hangar roof. The French Navy also anticipates future compatibility with countermeasure solutions supplied by Lacroix Défense, as well as integration of active decoys such as aerial jammers. MBDA is contributing to work on incorporating its Mistral and Akeron missile families, and further partnerships are expected for additional munition types.

Rear Admiral Desfougères stated that the prototype will be tested at sea in 2026, following ongoing shore-based validation. This effort is part of a broader shift within the French Navy to permanently integrate operational feedback into its acquisition and upgrade programs. The process was formalized after Red Sea deployments that began in late 2023, particularly following engagements by French FREMM frigates such as Languedoc, Alsace, and Lorraine. These units faced UAVs, USVs, and ballistic missiles launched by Houthi forces in Yemen. As a result, the French Navy introduced modifications to shipboard communication systems for enhanced interoperability in congested maritime areas, updated onboard logistics arrangements to improve endurance on long-range missions, and adjusted software and targeting protocols in anti-air and anti-missile systems. These changes were implemented in a matter of months, establishing a framework for iterative upgrades without waiting for formal mid-life overhauls.

The decision to evaluate the LMP at sea coincides with the phased introduction of the new Frégates de Défense et d’Intervention (FDI), also referred to as the Amiral Ronarc’h class, which could be considered as the ideal candidates for the integration of modular systems like the LMP. Five FDI units are currently under construction at Naval Group’s Lorient shipyard. The lead ship, Amiral Ronarc’h, began sea trials in October 2024 and is expected to enter service in 2025. It is to be followed by Amiral Louzeau, Amiral Castex, Amiral Nomy, and Amiral Cabanier. Each ship will displace approximately 4,500 tonnes and feature Thales Sea Fire 500 AESA radar, 16 Sylver A50 launchers for Aster 15 or 30 missiles, eight Exocet MM40 Block 3C missiles, MU90 torpedoes, and the CAPTAS-4 sonar system. The FDI class includes an open-architecture digital backbone, allowing modular integration of future systems such as the LMP without reengineering major onboard infrastructure. The Navy has already begun platform-specific studies to evaluate how to fit the LMP system on these ships, and the results of the 2026 trials are expected to influence future procurement and integration timelines.

As of 2025, the French Navy operates 15 first-rank frigates: six FREMM units specialized in anti-submarine warfare, two FREMM DA variants optimized for air defense, two Horizon-class air defense destroyers, and five La Fayette-class light frigates. The FREMM DA frigates Alsace and Lorraine have conducted successful interceptions of drones and ballistic missiles using Aster 30 missiles during recent deployments. The Horizon-class ships Forbin and Chevalier Paul are undergoing modernization under a joint Franco-Italian program managed by Naviris and Eurosam, which aims to enhance their air defense systems and support interoperability improvements. Three of the La Fayette-class ships, La Fayette, Courbet, and Aconit, are being upgraded with KingKlip Mk2 sonar, SADRAL launchers with Mistral 3 missiles, Exocet Block 3C anti-ship missiles, CANTO anti-torpedo decoys, and updated electronic warfare systems. These upgrades are intended to extend their service lives into the 2030s while providing additional deployment flexibility.

To respond to increasing operational demands, the French Ministry of Armed Forces has proposed expanding the frigate fleet to 18 first-rank units. The proposal, supported by Minister Sébastien Lecornu, is currently under parliamentary consideration. The additional ships would likely be FDIs, with options for further development in the early 2030s depending on budgetary outcomes. The goal is to enable the Navy to maintain sustained deployments across multiple theaters, including the Mediterranean, Indo-Pacific, North Atlantic, West Africa, and Red Sea, without depleting operational readiness or overextending available platforms. This plan aligns with the 2024–2030 Military Programming Law (Loi de Programmation Militaire), which allocates €413 billion to defense, including funding for shipbuilding, missile procurement, and future technologies such as directed-energy weapons.

Under the same framework, current procurement efforts include the integration of Aster 30 B1 NT missiles to expand ballistic missile defense capabilities, continued acquisition of Exocet Block 3C, and development of the Future Cruise/Anti-Ship Weapon (FC/ASW) in partnership with the United Kingdom. In 2023, the HELMA-P laser system was tested aboard the Horizon-class frigate Forbin, indicating growing interest in directed-energy systems as supplementary layers to traditional kinetic defense. Naval Group and Thales are also engaged in expanding export sales of the FDI design, with Greece having ordered three units and negotiated for a fourth. Integration of modular systems like the LMP is being positioned as a selling point in future export offers, particularly for medium-sized navies seeking flexible configurations compatible with NATO standards. Industrial partnerships with MBDA and KNDS are central to adapting munition types to end-user needs and ensuring interoperability across future surface combatant classes.