Large-scale wildfires are raging across France. One of them, near Bordeaux, is threatening the facilities of several of France's largest defense companies, including the Rafale fighter jet production line and parts of the country's nuclear program.
However, this wildfire could become a problem not only for France and Western Europe, but also for Ukraine. One of the companies with facilities in the risk zone is Roxel, which is owned by defense giant MBDA.
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This company manufactures solid-fuel engines for most of the various types of missiles produced by MBDA. The company's portfolio is extensive, but let's focus on what matters most for Ukraine's air defense.
In particular, Roxel manufactures solid-fuel engines for the following missiles:
- Aster 30 missiles for the SAMP/T air defense system;
- MICA NG missiles (it is unclear whether this variant has been supplied to Ukraine);
- MICA missiles for Mirage 2000-5F fighter jets;
- AIM-132 ASRAAM missiles for the RAVEN air defense system;
- VT1 missiles for the Crotale NG air defense system;
- Mistral man-portable air defense missiles;
- Starstreak man-portable air defense missiles;
- Bolide missiles for the RBS 70 man-portable air defense system.
Ukraine operates all of these missiles and the systems that fire them, using them daily to defend its airspace. This is particularly important given Ukraine's ongoing shortage of anti-aircraft missiles.
In addition, Roxel manufactures solid-fuel boosters for the AASM Hammer series of guided bombs, which the Ukrainian Air Force is actively using to strike russian targets.
It is worth noting that although the wildfire came within just a few kilometers of Roxel's production site, it has begun to subside and is unlikely to have damaged the company's facilities.
However, if the wildfire had reached the production facility, it could have destroyed it and triggered a major industrial disaster, as the site contains large quantities of chemicals used in the production of solid rocket propellant.
In addition, Roxel has three other production sites located in various regions of France and the United Kingdom. However, the Bordeaux facility does not produce solid rocket motors for every missile type in the company's portfolio, and the exact products manufactured there have not been publicly disclosed.
In addition, MBDA has diversified its production and supply chains, so even if the worst were to happen, it would not immediately lose all of its solid rocket motor manufacturing capacity. However, this wildfire could still harm Ukraine. Roxel shares the same production site with ArianeGroup, which has already announced that it has suspended operations and evacuated sensitive equipment.
Roxel and MBDA, however, announced that they had taken the necessary safety measures, without providing further details. Roxel may also have suspended operations to evacuate equipment, following ArianeGroup's example.
It may take some time for operations to resume after the wildfire is extinguished. This could delay deliveries and slow the production and supply of anti-aircraft missiles and aerial bombs to Ukraine. However, it is not yet known to what extent this will affect Ukraine, or whether it will have any impact at all.
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