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Thales's UAV selected by Canadian Department of National Defence

02 October 2006

Thales Canada has been selected by the Department of National Defence Land Forces to deliver a mini-UAV system based on Elbit’s Skylark technology. Thales Canada had already been selected by the Canadian Forces Experimentation Centre (CFEC) for the Silver Fox UAV in 2004.

Virtually undetectable, with its steerable payload (stabilized to provide excellent video quality) and modular design (allows for other payloads to meet Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance requirements), the Skylark offers a very flexible and resourceful system which will provide invaluable "over the hill" visibility to the soldier. Driven by an electrically powered motor, it has a flight endurance of up to 90 minutes. Designed to be soldier-friendly and highly portable, the Skylark integrates three air vehicles into one backpack and has a ruggedized ground station and communications antenna.

Thales Canada, Systems Division, currently manages two UAV fleets for DND. The Silver Fox UAV, from Advanced Ceramics Research, provided to the Canadian Forces Experimentation Centre, is a modular high performance small UAV to evaluate concepts. With a payload of 4 Kg, an endurance of at least 8 hours and equipped with a specially engineered gasoline engine, this system has been used by each of the three services to explore UAV use.

Thales Canada, Systems Division, caters to DND requirements for Uninhabited Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). Critical to the role of performing as a Prime Contractor is understanding the customer's requirements and then matching the best components, including the air vehicle, to provide the premium (value and capability) solution.

Thales is the Prime Contractor for the UK Watchkeeper UAV program, and has recently been awarded a contract by the French defence procurement agency to examine armed UAV concepts.

Note to editors
Thales is a leading international electronics and systems group, serving defence, aerospace and security markets worldwide, supported by a comprehensive services offering. The company's civil and military businesses develop in parallel to serve a single objective: the security of people, property and nations. With more than 20,000 high-level researchers, Thales offers a capability unmatched in Europe to develop and deploy critical information systems. Thales employs 60,000 people in 50 countries and generated revenues of €10.3 billion in 2005. At the end of 2005, its order book stood at a record level of over €20 billion.