France unveils Rampart to protect ships from drone swarms — The National
France has unveiled the Rampart air defence system, developed by Naval Group to protect warships as well as civilian and military facilities from mass drone attacks. As The National reports, the system has already undergone sea trials in the Mediterranean, including during French Navy anti-drone exercises near Toulon.
Former French Navy officer Stéphane Meunier, who is involved in the programme, said Rampart is designed to create a protective shield around a ship in conditions involving the use of drones.
Missiles with a range of up to 6 km
Rampart uses 68mm laser-guided missiles with proximity fuses. Their stated range is up to 6 km. The launcher consists of four modules with 20 munitions each and can carry up to 80 missiles.
The launcher can be equipped with different types of weapons, including surface-to-air and surface-to-surface missiles, decoy systems or precision-guided missiles. According to the publication, an experienced crew can reload one module containing 20 munitions in approximately 10 minutes. The system weighs about four tonnes, allowing it to be installed on relatively small ships, including corvettes.
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During trials, Rampart engaged an aerial drone and also used unguided rockets against surface targets. Naval Group expects to produce up to 10,000 systems by 2028.
Land deployment
According to Meunier, the use of relatively inexpensive guided missiles could reduce the cost of engaging targets compared with expensive interceptor missiles. The National notes that during the recent war with Iran, Western forces used Patriot missiles costing more than $4 million against Shahed-136 drones, whose price was estimated at approximately $35,000. This roughly corresponds to the cost of a guided 68mm missile.
Rampart can also be deployed on land to protect airports, military bases and civilian areas. A separate system module was developed for the Sirenha uncrewed surface vessel. In addition, Naval Group is working with the UAE defence group Edge to test the SkyKnight air-defence missile: ground tests are to take place first, while sea trials are planned for next year. SkyKnight's stated range against aerial targets is up to 10 km.
