Airbus, Thales sign agreement

Airbus and Thales have signed an agreement for the development of the Air Combat Cloud for the Future Combat Air System (FCAS).

The companies will work jointly on the structural design of the system of systems that will support collaborative air operations at national and multinational levels. Work will begin with a first phase of technology demonstrations of air combat cloud capabilities.

The 18-month agreement supports the Air Combat Cloud pillar of the Demonstrator Phase 1A contract as a starting point for demonstrators and technology development.

Within FCAS, the Air Combat Cloud will in real time connect and synchronise all platforms and enable the processing and distribution of information to enhance situational awareness and collaborative operations.

The two companies will design the Air Combat Cloud, first in the frame of the Franco German FCAS cooperation but with the goal of enlarging the scope of collaborative combat capabilities between national air forces at European level in future.