• Defence Notes

  SEA wins radar transducer contract

  16th September 2016

  SEA has been awarded a £2 million, five-year contract by Ultra Electronics to supply transducers as part of the Sonar 2050 Technology Refresh programme (S2050TR) …

• Defence Helicopter

  MSPO 2016: Poland studies induction rockets

  9th September 2016

  With Poland looking at laser guided weapon technology through state-owned munitions manufacturer Mesko, Thales is hoping to steal a march on other potential international partners. …

• Land Warfare

  Land Forces 2016: Hawkei slithers toward service

  6th September 2016

  A Thales Hawkei fitted with a Kongsberg Protector remote-controlled weapon station (RWS) appeared at Land Forces 2016, perhaps a signal that is a weapon option …

• Land Warfare

  Land Forces 2016: Nioa spreads its wings

  9th September 2016

  Artillery ammunition is looming large in the thinking of Nioa, an Australian defence company that is launching into new defence sectors to meet domestic needs. …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  French Espadon programme completed

  13th September 2016

  France's DGA Espadon programme, carried out by ECA Group, Thales and DCNS, has been successfully completed, ECA announced on 8 September. The programme achieved a number …

• Naval Warfare

  Shipbuilding exhibition illustrates Taiwan’s challenges

  16th September 2016

  Super Typhoon Meranti, which caused a one-day postponement of Taiwan’s first ever shipbuilding exhibition – the Kaohsiung International Maritime & Defence Exhibition – perhaps portended …

• Digital Battlespace

  Australia boosts EW capabilities

  14th September 2016

  The electronic warfare (EW) capabilities of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) will receive a shot in the arm, with AU$500 million ($386.3 million) being allocated …

• Land Warfare

  MSPO 2016: Rheinmetall returns for Pegasus (video)

  7th September 2016

  German manufacturer Rheinmetall is displaying its armoured multipurpose vehicle (AMPV) at MSPO in Kielce this year, as it sets its sight on a potential Polish …

• Training

  RJAF enhances F-16 training

  8th September 2016

  The Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF) currently operates 64 F-16A/B Fighting Falcon aircraft from its Al Azraq air base. Supplied under various phases of the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  MSPO 2016: Thales hopeful for Polish Watchkeeper

  30th August 2016

  Thales remains confident its Watchkeeper unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) will be successful in the Polish market, as the country reassesses its plans to procure a …

• Land Warfare

  Land Forces 2016: Australia’s GBAD jigsaw puzzle

  8th September 2016

  The topic of ground-based air defence (GBAD) and integrated air defence attracted much attention at Land Forces 2016 in Adelaide, although potential vendors are awaiting …

• Defence Helicopter

  MSPO 2016: Mesko seeking laser guided rockets

  8th September 2016

  One of the key Polish military procurement trends in the past decade has been the continued transition towards NATO standard equipment. As part of this …

• Land Warfare

  MSPO 2016: Plenty worth fighting for

  30th August 2016

  Poland’s land programmes have been moving on in fits and starts. The Rosomak 8x8 APC programme is the main flagship armoured vehicle programme but others …

• Defence Notes

  MSPO 2016: Israeli companies target Polish market

  1st September 2016

  Poland’s ambitious programme to modernise its armed forces is one of the biggest in Europe, and with billions of dollars likely to be spent over …

• Defence Notes

  Thales pulls up stakes in Hanwha

  16th August 2016

  Hanwha Techwin will take over Thales’ 50% stake in the Hanwha Thales joint venture, according to a filing to the Korea Exchange on 29 July. …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• ISR/special mission

  Strategic Intelligence Aircraft [France]

  Programme Background In February 2018, the Minister of the Armed Forces, Florence Parly, announced that the strategic intelligence aircraft program CUGE Universal EW Capability began ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Land 121 Phase 4 (Hawkei PMV-L)

  Programme Background Three suppliers were originally down-selected to meet the Land 121 Phase 4 requirement: Thales Australia, General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) and Force Protection ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  Spy Ranger SMDR - Contracted (France)

  Programme Background Requirement The French Army has identified a need for a new tactical UAS to replace the Drac UAS, which first entered service in ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  Spy Ranger SMDR - Option (France)

  Programme Background Requirement The French Army has identified a need for a new tactical UAS to replace the Drac UAS, which first entered service in ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Flexible Tactical Uncrewed Air System (FTUAS) [UK]

  Programme Background Tender Notice & Timeline On 25 May 2021, the MoD published a tender notice for the urgent acquisition of a UAS and ancillaries under ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Su-30SM Armenia

  The Su-30SM is upgraded variant of Su-30MKI. Its capabilities include Bars-R radar, RVV-SV medium-range air-to-air missile, Thales SMD55S/VEN-3022 or Russian IKSh-1M avionics replacing Elbit SU967 head-up display, LINS-1000RS inertial ...

• Pegaz Special Operations Vehicles

  Programme BackgroundRequirementThe Polish MoD has a long-standing requirement to procure a new 4x4 tactical vehicle to replace the M1165A1 HMMWVs and Oshkosh M-ATVs currently in ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  LAV Replacement [Japan]

  Programme Background The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) and Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) received 1,937 Light Armoured Vehicles (LAVs) from Komatsu between 2001 and ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Jaguar Medium Common Armoured Vehicle Platform [Belgium]

  Programme Background In its Strategic Vision for Defence document published in June 2016, the Belgian MoD outlined its aspirations for equipping five motorised manoeuvre battalions ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6, MPVs - 4x4

  Multi-Role Vehicle (Protected) Package 2

  Programme Background The MRV-P platforms will replace a diverse fleet of 4x4 and 6x6 vehicles purchased during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, thereby helping to ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  VBCI (Qatar)

  Programme Background The VBCI-2 was selected in preference to a competing offer comprising Patria's AMV 8x8 equipped with a Lockheed Martin turret. However, at the ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  MD 530G Lebanon

  The Armed MD 530G Scout Attack Helicopter features next-generation all-glass cockpit that includes: two Genesys Aerosystems IDU-680 6” x 9” LCD primary displays, Tek Fusion ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Griffon Light Common Armoured Vehicle Platform [Belgium]

  Programme Background In its Strategic Vision for Defence document published in June 2016, the Belgian MoD outlined its aspirations for equipping five motorised manoeuvre battalions ...

• Frigates

  Joint Future Surface Combatant - FSC (3) [Belgium]

  Programme Background Timeline In June 2018, both Belgium and the Netherlands signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the joint procurement of at least four ...

• Frigates

  MKS 180 Programme (1-4) [Germany]

  Programme Background Timeline The MKS 180 frigate programme for the Federal German Navy reflects the desire for the German government to become more engaged on ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Transponders and IFF

  Thales TSX-3500

  Thales TSX 3500 Family includes the TSA & TSB 3520 - Naval IFF Interrogators and Combined Interrogator Transponder, which provide medium and long-range information on ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  SquadNet Soldier Radio

  Thales SquadNet Soldier Radio is compact radio with a simplified screen designed for dismounted troops. It has built-in Bluetooth and GPS functionality, as well as ...

• Naval: Radio and SATCOM

  SURFSAT-L

  Produced by Thales, SURFSAT-L is a SATCOM terminal designed for medium to large surface vessels. According to the manufacturer, it is designed to achieve a ...

• Frigates

  SIGMA 115115HN

  Dutch shipbuilder Damen has designed a new multi-mission frigate as part of the Sigma class known as the Sigma 11515. As with all Sigma-class designs, ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  NH90

  As part of the Helisim consortium based in Marignane, Thales has supplied an NH90 simulator for use by French and foreign military forces. Helisim also ...

• EO/IR systems

  TALIOS

  The TArgeting Long-range Identification Optronic System (TALIOS) is a targeting pod from Thales.  It is equipped with top-down and bottom-up datalinks and can scan a large area, identify ...

• Land: tactical engagement simulators

  Live Training Solutions

  Thales offers live training solutions for land and combined forces around the world. Thales Combat Training Centres are available for open and urban battlefields, and ...

• Service Provision

  Thales supports armed forces in peacetime and during operations, providing ab initio, operational conversion, continuation, upgrade and refresher training, through to mission rehearsal in preparation ...

• Air: transport/tanker simulators

  A330 Voyager MRTT Training Services

  Through AirTanker Services, a JV between Thales, Airbus Group, Cobham, Rolls-Royce and Babcock, Thales provides and maintains training services for the RAF’s Future Strategic Tanker ...

• Air: surveillance and maritime patrol radar, Air: UAS radar

  Searchmaster

  The Searchmaster is an airborne multi-role surveillance radar manufactured by Thales. The Searchmaster is suitable for MALE (medium altitude, long endurance) UAVs, medium-tonnage or heavy-lift ...

• Data links

  Link Y Mk2

  Thales Link Y Mk2 is used to securely exchange tactical data and orders via a self-managing, adaptive radio network between multiple military platforms. Designed for ...

• Land: battle management systems

  SILVER

  Developed by Indra Systemas, SILVER is a land management system designed specifically for vehicular applications. Based on a modular system that can run on COTS ...

• Sea: naval surveillance radar

  NS50

  The NS50 is a four-dimensional surveillance radar produced by Thales. It is designed to provide simultaneous air and surface target detection and tracking, and fire ...

• Loitering munitions

  Munition Télé-Opérée – Longue Portée (MTO-LP)

  At the Paris Air Show 2025, Thales and Boreal announced they had partnered to develop the Munition Télé-Opérée – Longue Portée (MTO-LP), a long-range loitering ...

• Sea: naval surveillance radar

  Smart-S Mk 2

  The Smart-S Mk2 is a three-dimensional naval air and surface surveillance radar manufactured by Aselsan and Thales. The transmit and receive modules are produced by ...