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Thales UK selected for the FALCON programme

12 July 2005

Thales UK is a key partner in the BAE Systems team that has been down-selected as preferred supplier for the first increment of the FALCON information infrastructure programme.

FALCON will provide the British Armed Forces with a new high capacity, secure Information System infrastructure capability at the operational and tactical levels of command that can be deployed rapidly by air into any theatre of operation. FALCON meets the requirements for greatly improved data throughput, multi-level security, mobility and manpower efficiencies, and will operate in conjunction with Skynet 5, Cormorant and Bowman, binding together the wide area system and reinforcing tactical communications in the theatre of operation. It is a crucial component of Network Enabled Capability (NEC), a central element in the New Chapter of UK's Strategic Defence Review.

Thales UK's land and joint systems business in Wells is supplying the Transmission Subsystem (TxSS) and security architecture components as an integrated package. The TxSS is a best of breed solution, which provides a high degree of operational flexibility. The TRC4000 34Mbps Band IV line of sight radio is complemented by the Ultra GRC-245 Band I/III+ radio. Both these radios offer an excellent combination of range, bandwidth and functionality, together with impressive physical and electronic resilience.

The Security Sub-System is an innovative, flexible and cost-effective solution supplied by Thales UK's e-security business in Brighton. By utilizing Thales UK's proven flexible cryptographic technology, the solution will reduce overall programme costs and bring FALCON into service quickly. It will also future-proof the solution by ensuring that technological advancements made in the commercial sector can be readily inserted at any future systems.

Karen Oddey, Managing Director of Thales UK's joint systems business said, "Thales UK has for many years been at the forefront of military communications We are delighted to have secured a key role on this critical information infrastructure project. The programme will ensure that our capabilities in this area will continue to develop for the future."

Notes to Editors

-Falcon is a tactical information system enabling MOD (UK) to deliver enhanced effectiveness through NEC. It will provide the information infrastructure at the tactical and operational levels of command. FALCON also replaces Ptarmigan, Euromux and the RAF's Tactical Trunk System/Deployed Local Area Network (RTTS/DLAN) as well as plugging any gaps in Bowman, Cormorant & Skynet 5.

-FALCON is the world's first major tactical All IP solution; the rest of the world relies on legacy Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) technology.