Munitions

LAU-32 rocket launcher

Also known as
  • LAU-32
  • LAU32
  • LAU32-A

The LAU-32 is a Belgian reusable seven-tube 70 mm launcher for fixed-wing aircraft. Thales Belgium describes it as an aluminum pod with a central tube surrounded by six equally spaced tubes, electronic intervalometer firing, and MOD.4/MOD.5 configurations separated by detent hardware and FFAR or wrap-around rocket compatibility.

LAU-32 rocket launcher, 7-tube 70 mm rocket launcher, Munitions
Image source: LAU-32 pod L-39NG.jpg
Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
Belgium
Type
7-tube 70 mm rocket launcher
Service note
Contemporary fixed-wing aircraft rocket launcher
Designer
Thales Belgium
Produced
Contemporary

Specifications

Tube count
7
Caliber
70 mm (2.75 in)
Launcher layout
Central tube surrounded by six equally spaced tubes
Length
1,839 mm (MOD.4) / 2,003 mm (MOD.5)
Outer diameter
252 mm
Empty mass
~38 kg (MOD.4) / ~37 kg (MOD.5)
Detent mechanism
FZ81 (MOD.4) / FZ125 (MOD.5)
Firing mode
Single or ripple
Intervallometry
40 ms or 60 ms firing interval
Rocket compatibility
MOD.4 for FZ 2.75-inch FFAR motors; MOD.5 for FZ 2.75-inch FFAR and wrap-around motors
Compatibility
Fixed-wing aircraft with NATO 14-inch suspension lugs
Rotary-wing suitability
Not suitable on the MOD.4 and MOD.5 Thales data sheets
Variants

Thales Belgium splits the LAU32 fixed-wing launcher into two seven-tube models with the same 252 mm outer diameter but different lengths, empty masses, detent mechanisms, and rocket-fin compatibility.

VariantConfigurationDesignation notes
LAU32 MOD.4Single-purpose FFAR launcher

MOD.4 uses the FZ81 detent, measures 1,839 mm long, weighs about 38 kg empty, and is documented for fixed-wing aircraft with NATO 14-inch suspension lugs.

Sources: LAU32 MOD.4

LAU32 MOD.5Dual-purpose FFAR / wrap-around launcher

MOD.5 uses the FZ125 universal dual-purpose detent, measures 2,003 mm long, weighs about 37 kg empty, and is documented for fixed-wing aircraft with NATO 14-inch suspension lugs.

Sources: LAU32 MOD.5

Fixed-Wing Aircraft

Thales Belgium presents LAU32 as a fixed-wing launcher and names qualified or reference aircraft families for the MOD.4/MOD.5 launcher line. Aero's Dubai Airshow 2025 material separately shows the launcher on the L-39 Skyfox.

CarrierCarrier typeCarriage evidence
BAE Hawk, Advanced jet trainer and light attack aircraft family, Aircraft & UAVsBAE HawkAdvanced trainer / light attack aircraft

Thales lists BAE Hawk Mk123 and Mk100/200 aircraft as qualified fixed-wing platforms for LAU32 MOD.4, and BAE Hawk Mk100/200 for MOD.5.

Sources: LAU32 MOD.4, LAU32 MOD.5

F-16 Fighting Falcon, Multirole fighter aircraft, Aircraft & UAVsF-16 Fighting FalconMultirole fighter

Thales lists the F-16 Falcon among qualified fixed-wing platforms for both LAU32 MOD.4 and MOD.5, and its F-16 armaments page describes up to four seven- or nineteen-tube launchers including LAU32.

Sources: LAU32 MOD.4, LAU32 MOD.5, F-16 Falcon

Beechcraft T-6 Texan II, Military turboprop trainer aircraft, Aircraft & UAVsBeechcraft T-6 Texan IITrainer / light attack aircraft family

Thales' Hawker Beechcraft T-6C page says the armaments suite can include up to two metallic seven-tube LAU32 launchers.

Sources: Hawker Beechcraft AT-6C

A-29 Super Tucano, Turboprop light attack and armed reconnaissance aircraft, Aircraft & UAVsA-29 Super TucanoLight attack aircraft

Thales says the EMB314 Super Tucano armaments suite can include up to two metallic 7-tube LAU32 rocket launchers.

Sources: EMB314 Super Tucano

Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighter / Tiger II, Supersonic light fighter aircraft, Aircraft & UAVsNorthrop F-5 Freedom Fighter / Tiger IILight fighter / attack aircraft

Thales lists the F-5E as a qualified fixed-wing platform for LAU32 MOD.4, and its F-5 Tiger armaments page describes up to two seven- or nineteen-tube launchers including LAU32.

Sources: LAU32 MOD.4, F-5 Tiger

F/A-18 Hornet (Tactical), Carrier-capable multirole strike fighter, Aircraft & UAVsF/A-18 Hornet (Tactical)Carrier-capable multirole fighter

Thales lists the F/A-18 Hornet as a qualified fixed-wing platform for LAU32 MOD.5 and in its broader LAU32 fixed-wing references.

Sources: LAU32 MOD.5, FZ at Thales marketplace: a successful event at Airbus

Aero L-39NG, Two-seat subsonic jet trainer and light-attack aircraft, Aircraft & UAVsAero L-39NGTwo-seat trainer/light attack aircraft

Aero's Dubai Airshow 2025 release says the armed Skyfox static display was equipped with two LAU-32 rocket launchers.

Sources: World Premiere of the L-39 Skyfox at Dubai Airshow 2025: | Aero

Rockets Fired

LAU32 is a 70 mm launcher for FZ 2.75-inch rocket motors rather than a munition. The links below keep the launcher connected to cataloged rocket-family pages without implying independent conflict use for this relationship-only record.

AmmunitionAmmunition typeFiring evidence
2.75-inch rockets, Unguided 2.75-inch air-launched rocket family, Munitions2.75-inch rockets70 mm aerial rocket family

Thales describes LAU32 MOD.4 and MOD.5 as seven-tube launchers for FZ 2.75-inch rocket motors, with MOD.5 adding wrap-around fin compatibility.

Sources: LAU32 MOD.4, LAU32 MOD.5

FZ90 rocket motor, 70 mm wrap-around rocket motor, MunitionsFZ90 rocket motorFZ 2.75-inch rocket motor

Thales' Super Tucano armaments page places LAU32 launchers and FZ90 rocket motors in the same 70 mm rocket-system fit for the EMB314.

Sources: EMB314 Super Tucano

Launcher Families

The LAU-32 page sits below broader launcher-family records that cover adjacent 2.75-inch / 70 mm pod designations and the wider LAU naming set.

Compatible itemItem typeCompatibility evidence
2.75-inch rocket pod, Aircraft rocket pod, Munitions2.75-inch rocket pod70 mm aircraft rocket-pod class

The LAU32 source documents the seven-tube fixed-wing launcher as part of the 2.75-inch / 70 mm aircraft rocket-pod class.

Sources: LAU32 7-tube metallic rocket launcher

LAU-series rocket pod, Aircraft rocket pod family, MunitionsLAU-series rocket podLAU rocket-pod designation family

The LAU32 designation and Thales MOD.4/MOD.5 pages place this launcher within the wider LAU-series aircraft rocket-pod naming family.

Sources: LAU32 7-tube metallic rocket launcher, LAU32 MOD.4, LAU32 MOD.5

Variant Split

Thales separates the seven-tube launcher into two fixed-wing variants. The core pod layout stays the same; the changes are in length, mass, detent hardware, and rocket-motor compatibility.

ModelLengthEmpty massDetentUse
LAU32 MOD.41,839 mmAbout 38 kgFZ81FZ 2.75-inch FFAR motors
LAU32 MOD.52,003 mmAbout 37 kgFZ125FZ 2.75-inch FFAR or wrap-around motors

Source labels used here: LAU32 MOD.4 and LAU32 MOD.5.

Timeline

LAU-32 rocket launcher Key Events

  1. Early LAU32-A documentation appears

    A September 1971 Army Aviation Digest photograph shows a seven-tube LAU32-A pod adapted to the M-6 system, giving an early public record of the launcher family.

    Sources: Seven-tube LAU32-A 2.75-inch FF AR pod adapted to the M-6 system.jpg

  2. Thales highlights fixed-wing fit

    Thales Belgium said it showcased LAU32 rocket launchers for fixed-wing platforms at an Airbus marketplace event and listed BAE Hawk, F/A-18 Hornet, F-16 Falcon, Super Tucano, F-5 Tiger, and Hawker Beechcraft AT-6C as fixed-wing references.

    Sources: FZ at Thales marketplace: a successful event at Airbus

Media

LAU-32 rocket launcher Images

LAU-32 rocket launcher, 7-tube 70 mm rocket launcher, Munitions - view 1
Source: Seven-tube LAU32-A 2.75-inch FF AR pod adapted to the M-6 system.jpg
LAU-32 rocket launcher, 7-tube 70 mm rocket launcher, Munitions - view 2
Source: Shorts Tucano T51, ZH209.jpg
Related Weapon Systems
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RPG-32, Reusable shoulder-fired anti-tank and anti-structure rocket launcher, Infantry WeaponsInfantry WeaponsRPG-32Reusable shoulder-fired anti-tank and anti-structure rocket launcherThe RPG-32 is a Russian-designed, Jordan-assembled reusable shoulder-fired launcher marketed by JADARA as the Nashshab family. JADARA says the 105 mm launcher weighs 3 kg, rises to 12.4 kg ready to fire, and can switch between PG-32V tandem anti-tank and TBG-32V thermobaric grenades in sealed tubes. ARES reporting has documented the system with Ansar al-Sharia/AQAP fighters in Yemen and Kurdish CT Unit personnel in northern Iraq, while later open-source imagery placed the weapon in Ukrainian hands during the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War.

Sources

LAU32 7-tube metallic rocket launcherPublisher: Thales Belgium | Note: Supports the LAU32 launcher description, fixed-wing aircraft use, seven-tube configuration, MOD.4/MOD.5 variants, intervalometer firing, and dimensional specifications. | Accessed: 2026-07-13LAU32 MOD.4Publisher: Thales Belgium | Note: Supports the MOD.4 fixed-wing launcher variant, including the seven-tube layout, dimensions, empty mass, detent mechanism, firing mode, fixed-wing/rotary-wing suitability, qualified platforms, and FFAR-finned compatibility. | Accessed: 2026-07-13LAU32 MOD.5Publisher: Thales Belgium | Note: Supports the MOD.5 fixed-wing launcher variant, including the seven-tube layout, dimensions, empty mass, detent mechanism, firing mode, fixed-wing/rotary-wing suitability, qualified platforms, and FFAR or wrap-around compatibility. | Accessed: 2026-07-13FZ at Thales marketplace: a successful event at AirbusPublisher: Thales Belgium | Note: Supports the fixed-wing aircraft context for LAU32 rocket launchers and the listed reference platforms at the Airbus marketplace event. | Accessed: 2026-07-13F-16 FalconPublisher: Thales Belgium | Note: Supports the F-16 fixed-wing armaments context describing up to four seven- or nineteen-tube rocket launchers, including LAU32. | Accessed: 2026-07-13F-5 TigerPublisher: Thales Belgium | Note: Supports the F-5 fixed-wing armaments context describing up to two seven- or nineteen-tube rocket launchers, including LAU32. | Accessed: 2026-07-13Hawker Beechcraft AT-6CPublisher: Thales Belgium | Note: Supports the Hawker Beechcraft T-6C/AT-6C armaments suite describing up to two metallic seven-tube LAU32 rocket launchers. | Accessed: 2026-07-13LAU-32 pod L-39NG.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for a CC BY-SA 4.0 photograph described as a LAU-32 MOD.5 rocket launcher under an L-39NG. | Accessed: 2026-07-13Seven-tube LAU32-A 2.75-inch FF AR pod adapted to the M-6 system.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance and early LAU32-A / M-6-system context for a September 1971 Army Aviation Digest photograph. | Accessed: 2026-07-13Shorts Tucano T51, ZH209.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for a CC BY image showing a Shorts Tucano T51 with a LAU-32 7x70 mm launcher among external stores. | Accessed: 2026-07-13EMB314 Super TucanoPublisher: Thales Belgium | Note: Supports the EMB314 Super Tucano armaments suite describing up to two metallic 7-tube LAU32 rocket launchers and FZ90 rocket motors in the same 70 mm rocket-system fit. | Accessed: 2026-07-13World Premiere of the L-39 Skyfox at Dubai Airshow 2025: | AeroPublisher: Aero Vodochody | Note: Supports the armed Skyfox static-display configuration with two LAU-32 rocket launchers at Dubai Airshow 2025. | Accessed: 2026-07-13