• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Thales strengthens its position in weapon in weapon and missile systems

13 November 2003

On 12 November 2003, the Joint Armaments Cooperation Organization (OCCAr), acting on behalf of France, Italy and the United Kingdom, awarded the contract for Phase 3 of the Future Surface-to-Air Family (FSAF) missile system programme to Eurosam* and UKAMS. The contract is worth three billion euros. Thales' share of the contract is valued at around one billion euros.

Under the contract, Eurosam, which is one-third owned by Thales, will produce eighteen SAMP/T land-based medium-range air defence systems and supply the associated Aster 30 missiles. The contract also calls for the supply of Aster missiles for the SAAM** France, SAAM Italy and PAAMS*** missile systems, which equip or will equip France's Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier, Italy's future Andrea Doria carrier and the Franco-Italian Horizon frigates respectively.

The launch of the production phase is an endorsement of the excellent cooperation that has developed between MBDA and Thales since the start of the programme.

Thales is responsible for the fire control system and is contributing to the design and production of the seekers for the Aster missiles. The engagement logic underpinning the fire control system leverages Thales' long experience in weapon and missile systems. The system's Arabel radar, which already equips the Charles de Gaulle, is capable of detecting all types of threat in the harshest environments and provides high-precision guidance in the missile's initial phase, until the onboard seeker takes over and guides the missile onto its target.

With the support of the French defence procurement agency (DGA) and its Italian counterpart Segredifesa, the programme will provide France and Italy from 2008 with a land-based air defence system capable of intercepting the vast array of conventional threats and featuring intrinsic anti-ballistic capabilities. The system's ability to counter ballistic threats will be made possible by the later addition of a multi-function air defence radar incorporating the new M3R**** technology, currently being developed by Thales. The SAMP/T air defence system combined with this type of radar will constitute a sophisticated extended air defence system.

SAMP/T is the first air defence system in the world to combine the ability to counter conventional and ballistic threats with the mobility needed for rapid deployment in any remote theatre of operations. The FSAF family offers promising export opportunities for Thales in both land-based and naval air defence.

The new contract underscores Thales' experience in weapon and missile systems. The Group's offering covers the three major segments: very short range (Starstreak system), short range (Crotale system) and medium range (FSAF system). Its missile business generates average annual revenues of some 600 million euros.

Press contacts:
Matt Pothecary
Tel: + 33 (0) 1 57 77 86 26
Agnès Delauney
Tel: + 33 (0) 1 40 84 18 07

Note to editors
* Eurosam is a partnership between Thales and MBDA.
** SAAM: Surface-to-Air Anti-Missile
*** PAAMS: Principal Anti-Air Missile System
**** M3R: Mobile, Multifunctional, Modular Radar. The M3R demonstrator is a key milestone in the development of the next generation of radars and represents a major technological breakthrough for Thales. In September 2003, the French defence procurement agency (DGA) awarded ThalesRaytheonSystems a key contract in this area worth around 70 million euros. Conducted in partnership with the Thales Group, the contract calls for the production of a multi-function air defence radar demonstrator with anti-ballistic missile capabilities.