France donates two more LRU MLRS to Ukraine as part of artillery coalition

General Jean-Michel Guilloton said this in an interview with the press service of the French Defense Ministry.

Within the framework of this coalition, France handed over two additional LRU multiple launch rocket systems to Ukraine, increasing the total number of French systems.

"France has the right to lead this coalition given the artillery equipment it has transferred to Ukraine: about 30 Caesars, while we had only 75, 4 LRU multiple launch rocket systems, TRF1 guns and 120mm mortars," the general said.

In the report on military assistance to Ukraine for 2022, the French Defense Ministry stated that only two LRU systems were supplied to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Thus, we can conclude that there was another delivery after that, which was not announced in the media.

The Lance-roquettes unitaire, or LRU for short, is the French version of the American M270 MLRS.

They are equipped with a modernized EFCS fire control system, a new navigation system (using GPS) and a new communication system.

In total, 13 of the French Army's 57 MLRSs were modernized in 2011-2014. They were then sent to the 1st Artillery Regiment.

Other combat vehicles that decided not to upgrade were put into storage. Overall, France plans to replace all of its M270s by 2027.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces received the first LRUs in the fall of 2022 in the amount of four units.

Like the US version, the LRU can use GMLRS high-precision rockets, which provides it with unmatched accuracy and a range of up to 80 km.

• On January 18, France, the United States, and more than 20 other countries created an artillery coalition in Paris to help Ukraine repel Russian aggression.