Damen picks Thales mission system and combat management system for MKS 180
Thales will provide Tacticos and Above Water Warfare System
Thales is to supply and fully integrate the mission and combat system for the four new MKS 180 multipurpose combat ships to be operated by the German Navy, under a €1.5 billion ($1.78 billion) deal with prime contractor Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding.
In one of the largest contracts ever won by Thales, the company will provide its Tacticos combat management system and Above Water Warfare System fire control cluster, plus logistic support and test and training at shore-based sites, for the four baseline MKS 180 vessels plus up to two optional extra ships.
‘Underpinning this contract is the proven cooperation of German and Dutch naval industries, including numerous joint opportunities for Damen and Thales in the Netherlands to innovate within naval shipbuilding projects, often with the participation of the Netherlands’ Ministry of Defence,’ Thales noted in an 18 November statement.
The company will execute the contract at its naval centres of excellence at Hengelo (in the Netherlands), as well as Kiel and Wilhelmshaven (in Germany), ‘in cooperation with a substantial number of German subcontractors’, it added.
Thales and Damen are already closely aligned on the MKS 180 programme. In June 2020, the German MoD chose the Dutch shipyard as prime contractor, with Thales Netherlands selected to provide radars and other sensors.
The first-in-class MKS 180 vessel is planned to enter service in 2028. According to Shephard Defence Insight, the cost of the programme is likely to spiral from an initial €3.5 billion to €6 billion.
As part of our promise to deliver comprehensive coverage to our Defence Insight and Premium News subscribers, our curated defence news content provides the latest industry updates, contract awards and programme milestones.
Related Programmes in Defence Insight
F126 programme (1-4) [Germany]
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Naval Warfare
-
![Kongsberg Maritime and Thales UK team on Arctic Hunter Type 92 proposal]()
Kongsberg Maritime and Thales UK team on Arctic Hunter Type 92 proposal
The Norwegian company says a commercial hull, proven sonar and a British yard could deliver uncrewed submarine hunters by the end of the decade, but the Royal Navy has not yet set a requirement or timeline.
-
![US Navy weighs “Super Intelligence” role in designing a quieter SSN(X) attack submarine]()
US Navy weighs “Super Intelligence” role in designing a quieter SSN(X) attack submarine
NAVSEA is exploring AI-assisted design for a larger, stealthier submarine with increased weapons capacity and uncrewed-system integration, with lead-boat procurement envisaged from 2040.
-
![ST Engineering makes Euronaval debut with MRV European export campaign]()
ST Engineering makes Euronaval debut with MRV European export campaign
A six-ship home order, agreements with Saab, Naval Group and Babcock and spare yard capacity underpin the group’s first Euronaval bid for smaller European navies.
-
![Euronaval 2026: Red Cat’s Blue Ops follows USV demand from Asia to the Andes]()
Euronaval 2026: Red Cat’s Blue Ops follows USV demand from Asia to the Andes
With its B-26 USV in full-rate production, Blue Ops is seeking to turn overseas interest into orders through a combination of lower operating costs, UAV integration and local manufacturing.
-
![Euronaval 2026: ‘I want to sell 31 Type 31s by 2031’ - CGO maps Babcock’s global push]()
Euronaval 2026: ‘I want to sell 31 Type 31s by 2031’ - CGO maps Babcock’s global push
Chief growth officer Sir Nick Hine tells Shephard how Babcock is lining up New Zealand, Chile, Denmark and the US for its Arrowhead 140 frigate, speaks on the hybrid navy offer and talks AUKUS.
