Renault, Thales unveil military vehicle partnership
Renault and Thales Collaboration: Advancing Military Vehicle Innovation
PARIS, June 15 (Reuters) - Renault Group said on Monday it has teamed up with defence technology company Thales to develop a military vehicle, deepening the French carmaker's push into defence as Europe raises security spending.
The companies plan to show a prototype, called 4 TROOP, at the Eurosatory defence fair near Paris, with Renault saying it could answer a production order from early 2027.
Renault shares were up 4.5% by 0848 GMT, among the best performers on France's benchmark CAC 40 index.
Market Reaction and Analyst Insight
"Renault is up like other Autos names not because of this partnership but thanks to the prospect of a deal between US/Iran," ODDO BHF analyst Michael Foundoukidis told Reuters.
Industrial Expertise and Project Details
Combining Strengths: Automotive and Defence Technologies
INDUSTRIAL EXPERTISE
The project draws on Renault's industrial expertise and Thales's secure communications technologies to produce a multi-mission vehicle quickly and at optimal cost, the automaker said.
Production Timeline and Adaptation
Renault would be ready to respond to a production request from early 2027, Maxime Gazier, programme director, and Ombeline Suzanne, special projects and partnerships manager at Renault, told Reuters at Eurosatory.
They said production volumes would depend on demand, while only limited work would be needed to adapt existing Renault production lines, depending on the final specifications chosen, including whether the vehicle is electric.
European Defence Context
Increased Defence Spending
Russia's invasion of Ukraine and a shift in U.S. foreign policy under President Donald Trump have driven a step-up in defence investment by European countries.
Automotive Sector's Role in Defence
Several European defence firms are looking to the auto sector for additional production capacity to ramp up output as they win a surge in orders.
Renault's Broader Defence Activities
Previous and Ongoing Projects
Renault has previously said it responded to requests by France's defence ministry to contribute to military projects, including a plan to produce aerial drones with drone manufacturer Turgis Gaillard.
Capabilities of the 4 TROOP Prototype
Renault said the hybrid 4x4 can operate on all terrains, support reconnaissance, surveillance, troop coordination and drone deployment, and power field equipment through its Vehicle-to-Load function.
Drone Development Progress
The first demonstrator of its drone under development with Turgis Gaillard is set to fly before the end of this year, Renault CEO Francois Provost told Reuters last week.
"That's also the advantage of the automotive industry: we don't take 30 years to do something, we'll do it in 12 months," he said in an interview.
Additional Partnerships
Renault is also working with Belgian military equipment company John Cockerill on projects currently in early stages.
(Reporting by Gilles Guillaume, Gus Trompiz, Dominique Patton, Florence Loeve, Olivier Cherfan and Hugo Lhomedet; Editing by Thomas Derpinghaus and Matt Scuffham)
