Renault Group said it will manufacture Thales' Toutatis remotely operated loitering munitions at one of the carmaker's industrial sites, the companies announced at the Eurosatory defence fair outside Paris. The move expands Renault's involvement in defence production and is intended to ramp up output rapidly; production is targeted to reach 1,000 units per month as early as next year.
The cooperation marks the second defence-focused partnership between Renault and Thales. The pair are already working together on a military vehicle, and this new agreement broadens their industrial collaboration into unmanned weapons systems.
Officials presented the deal as a step to increase France's industrial capacity in a sector the companies described as strategic. The Toutatis system is a short-range loitering munition - a drone that can hover over a target area before striking - a category that has seen extensive use in the war in Ukraine, the companies noted.
Renault and observers pointed to geopolitical and policy developments that have prompted higher defence spending in Europe. The Russian invasion of Ukraine and changes in U.S. foreign policy under President Donald Trump have been drivers behind the push for expanded defence budgets, and governments have turned to spare production capacity in the automotive industry to accelerate output.
Renault said in February that France's armed forces ministry had asked the company to support efforts to strengthen the national defence industrial base. CEO Francois Provost was quoted as saying that Renault's industrial know-how should allow faster scaling of drone manufacturing at a lower cost.
The short-range Toutatis programme complements Renault's existing work in unmanned systems. The project sits alongside Renault's Chorus programme with drone maker Turgis Gaillard, which is developing a long-range model. According to the companies, a first demonstrator for the long-range design is expected by the end of this year, with subsequent monthly production of 600 drones planned at Renault's Le Mans plant.
Renault emphasised that carmaking remains its core business even as it ventures further into defence manufacturing. In addition to the Thales partnership, Renault is collaborating with Belgian group John Cockerill on a ground drone. The article notes that John Cockerill Defense acquired French military vehicle maker Arquus from Swedish truck manufacturer Volvo in 2024.
Sectors affected: defence manufacturing, automotive production, industrial manufacturing.