Thales Reveals Final Version of Toutatis Loitering Munition at SOFINS 2025

At SOFINS 2025, Thales pulled back the curtain on the latest and nearly production-ready version of its Toutatis loitering munition, a tactical weapon that blends portability, smart guidance, and flexible deployment. Although the Toutatis has made appearances at earlier defense exhibitions, what was showcased this time represents the sixth and final stage of development, indicating it's now ready to take the next steps toward field deployment.

What Is the Toutatis Loitering Munition?

The Toutatis is a man-portable loitering munition — essentially a precision-guided drone with an integrated warhead that can loiter in the air and strike targets on command. Weighing just around 5 kg, the system is designed to be easily carried and deployed by a single soldier. But it can also be mounted on land vehicles, helicopters, or even naval vessels, making it incredibly versatile across various combat scenarios.

Compact and Smart by Design

Toutatis is launched from a tube canister using a pneumatic ejection system, thanks to its folding wings and stabilizers that make it compact for storage and deployment. Once in the air, its electric motor powers it at a cruise speed of 90 km/h, with a maximum top speed of 150 km/h in its terminal attack phase.

Despite its small size, the drone packs advanced navigation capabilities. Its guidance system uses a combination of:

• GNSS (satellite navigation)

• Inertial Navigation System (INS)

• Magnetic compass

These allow it to function even in GNSS-denied environments, such as during electronic warfare scenarios where GPS signals may be jammed. Thales’ experience in electronic warfare (EW) plays a crucial role here — with on-board algorithms able to identify and ignore jammed signals, maximizing navigational reliability.

In the coming year, Thales plans to integrate its VisioNav system, a vision-based navigation method that allows the drone to fly autonomously using terrain recognition — a game-changer in contested zones where traditional signals are unreliable.

Striking with Precision

The terminal phase of the mission is fully visual. The operator, always in control via a tablet-based Ground Control Station, selects the target visually, and Toutatis’ onboard visual tracking system takes over. The system homes in on the selected target with deadly precision at high speed, offering mission abort capability until the last moment.

The effective range of the Toutatis is up to 10 kilometers, with a flight endurance of 45 minutes on a full charge.

Lethal Modularity

The current Toutatis variant carries a 1 kg high-explosive fragmentation warhead, but Thales is already developing a shaped-charge variant for use against armored targets. The warhead can be loaded last-minute, offering mission-specific flexibility. The munition's nose cone flips open for easy insertion of the warhead, and the modular design suggests future versions could support different payloads as required.

Deployment Options Beyond Infantry

Though designed to be shoulder-launched by soldiers, Toutatis isn’t just for infantry. At SOFINS 2025, it was seen mounted on Arquus’ PLFS (Poids Lourd Forces Spéciales) Grizzly vehicle, showcasing its compatibility with heavy land platforms. Thales is also exploring helicopter-mounted launch pods and naval integration, particularly for defending ships against small, fast-moving threats like explosive-laden boats.

Key Specifications of Toutatis Loitering Munition

Production Timeline and Future Prospects

Developed with Thales’ internal funding, the Toutatis is expected to enter low-rate initial production by early 2026. Though currently dubbed the “short-range” version, Thales has hinted at future variants with extended range and enhanced payloads, possibly expanding its role into new tactical missions and broader battle environments.

Conclusion

With the unveiling of the final development stage at SOFINS 2025, the Toutatis loitering munition is poised to become a critical tool in modern warfare. It combines smart technology, modularity, and soldier-friendly design — and could become a template for next-generation loitering systems in land, air, and naval operations.