French military orders more DAMOCLES munitions

The French Ministry of the Armed Forces has renewed its order for the remotely operated munition MX-10 DAMOCLES, with plans to deliver a new batch of several hundred units within 12 months. This follows the initial delivery of 460 units between 2025 and 2026, and the first examples of the new batch are expected to arrive in early 2027.

DAMOCLES retains its core features

In service with both the French Army and Navy, the MX-10 DAMOCLES maintains its original design, including a range of 10 to 20 kilometers, a fragmentation charge, and a "house" weapon system featuring double safety measures. These features make it suitable for a variety of military applications.

Production capacity expansion

KNDS, the Franco-German defense group behind the DAMOCLES, says the new order allows them to increase production capabilities. The visibility from a contract announced in summer 2024 helped them prepare for this follow-up, enabling them to scale up production from initial batches to full series production.

Collaboration with Schaeffler boosts output

Delair, a partner in the DAMOCLES project, has partnered with the French branch of the German automotive supplier Schaeffler to produce the carrier. This collaboration has increased the initial production capacity to 100 units per day, a significant boost for the program.

Growing demand for various ranges

KNDS notes there is strong demand for remotely operated munitions across various ranges, from very short to long distances. The company is positioning itself for the future market of medium-range munitions, part of the Contact Drones program, with over 500 million euros allocated to the 2026 budget for this development.

Export success with Luxembourg

KNDS has secured its first export contract with Luxembourg’s defense forces for an initial MTO capacity based on the DAMOCLES solution. The contract, worth just over 1.6 million euros, marks a significant step for Luxembourg in adopting MTO technology and highlights the system's growing international appeal.

Belgian collaboration for future production

KNDS is working with Belgian defense and industry partners to establish a "Loitering Munition Lab" (LM-Lab) linked to the binational CaMo partnership. This project aims to localize the production of the DAMOCLES military warhead in Belgium, further expanding the program's reach and capabilities.