DSEI 2025: Belgium will be fourth user of 40mm 40CT cannon
Full-scale mock-up of a typical turret showing key elements supplied by CTAI including the actual 40mm cannon. (Photo: Shephard)
The cannon is currently used by the French Army, French Navy and British Army. It has an elevation of +85° with a cyclic rate of fire of 200 rounds per minute.
CTA International (CTAI), a joint venture between KNDS France and BAE Systems of the UK, has confirmed delivery of more than 750 of its 40mm 40CT cannons, and announced that Belgium will be the fourth customer.
The French Army is a current user on the KNDS France Jaguar 6×6 reconnaissance vehicles, along with the French Navy on Jacques Chevallier replenishment vessels and the British Army on the General Dynamics UK Ajax reconnaissance vehicle.
The fourth user will be the Belgian Army, which has selected the Jaguar to meet its reconnaissance vehicle requirement. The next customer will be Luxembourg, which has also selected the Jaguar.
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The most recent application for the 40mm 40CT cannon is for the Thales/KNDS France land-based RapidFire which has been specifically designed to counter aerial threats including uncrewed aerial systems (UASs). This will be adopted by the French Air Force for air base defence.
Final integration of the 40mm weapon is carried out in Bourges, France with ammunition being produced in both France and the UK to meet their respective user requirements.
The 40mm 40CT cannon has a high elevation of +85° which makes it very useful in engaging UAS platforms, with a cyclic rate of fire of 200 rounds a minute. Bursts would normally be used to engage UAS targets.
The French Defence Procurement Agency has awarded KNDS France a contract for the development of a new 40mm round for the RapidFire called the Multi-Purpose Time Perforating Projectile.
According to CTAI, more than 100,000 rounds of 40×225mm ammunition have been fired during qualification.
In 2026, the French Army will start taking deliveries of the most recent contract for 25,000 rounds of ammunition with the first batch consisting of 18,000 training rounds, increasing to 30,000 rounds as the Jaguar fleet builds up. The remainder of the contract for 25,000 rounds comprises combat rounds.
Shephard’s DSEI 2025 coverage is sponsored by:
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