France has exercised a contract option with KNDS France to procure additional MX-10 Damocles loitering munitions, strengthening its capacity to manufacture and deploy tactical attack drones for the French Army and Navy.
The Directorate General of Armaments (DGA) initiated the follow-on order to expand production capacity and supply additional systems to the French armed forces. Details regarding the contract value, order quantity, and delivery schedule have not been publicly disclosed.
The procurement builds on an initial contract awarded in July 2024 under France’s short-range remotely operated munition programme. According to available reports, deliveries of 460 systems were expected by July 2026. The first deliveries of the system to the military’s Joint Munitions Service reportedly began in December of the following year.
MX-10 Damocles: A Tactical Quadcopter Loitering Munition
The MX-10 Damocles is the latest variant in KNDS’ Mataris family of unmanned aerial systems. Its airframe is assembled in partnership with Delair, a Toulouse-based commercial drone manufacturer. Development was initially supported by the French government through an innovation programme launched in 2022 to provide tactical units with modern precision-strike capabilities.
The quadcopter platform is designed to carry a 550-gram (19-ounce) explosive incendiary fragmentation warhead and transmit live video to operators until impact. Soldiers can reportedly deploy the system in less than five minutes to identify and engage targets, including armoured vehicles.
Designed for operations in contested environments, the MX-10 incorporates electronic systems intended to resist jamming, alongside safety mechanisms to protect personnel during launch and operation.
The drone uses electric propulsion and offers a reported operational range of up to 10 kilometres (6 miles), with a maximum flight endurance of approximately 40 minutes.
The additional procurement reflects France’s continued focus on expanding domestic production and equipping its armed forces with compact, rapidly deployable loitering munitions for tactical operations.
