French carmaker Renault is set to manufacture long-range military drones for the French armed forces under a new defence partnership with defence company Turgis Gaillard, marking a rare move by a major European automaker into weapons production.

The project, overseen by France’s defence procurement agency Direction Générale de l’Armement (DGA), will see drones produced at Renault’s existing plants in Le Mans and Cléon, according to defence industry sources.

Financial terms have not been formally disclosed, though industry estimates put the programme’s potential value at up to €1 billion over a decade.

The plans were first reported by French industrial publication Usine Nouvelle, which said Renault was selected for its ability to scale industrial production rapidly rather than for prior aerospace expertise.

Turgis Gaillard is leading development of the drone system while Renault will focus on industrialisation and manufacturing.

The move reflects a broader European push to tap civilian industrial capacity to diversify supply chains and increase defence output, as governments seek faster production of drones and other systems in response to lessons from Ukraine and rising demand across NATO.

Renault said defence manufacturing would remain a limited activity alongside its core automotive business.