Thales awarded £21.7 million US contract for target detection devices
11 September 2007
Under this contract Thales will continue its long association with Raytheon and produce the TDDs for the US Department of Defense.
Thales will manufacture the TDDs at its world-class facilities in Basingstoke, with production starting in 2007 and continuing through 2009. This contract highlights Thales' commitment to the TOW 2B programme, Raytheon and the US Department of Defense. Since 1989 Thales has produced over 47,000 TDDs.
John Copley, Managing Director of Thales Missile Electronics, says: "As world leaders in anti-armour fuzing and sensors, we believe that this new contract strengthens and builds on our relationship with Raytheon and with the TOW 2B programme. We look forward to continuing this relationship for many years to come."
Notes to editors:
The TOW 2B missile system is the US Army's heavy anti-armour weapon of choice because it is extremely versatile on the modern battlefield. Its ability to successfully engage a wide range of targets is highly desirable in a fast moving conflict.
Thales pioneered this target detection technology, based on active infrared in the UK FITOW (Further Improved TOW) anti-armour missile in the mid-to-late 1980s. This technology was further developed and combined with a magnetometer resulting in a dual mode sensor. This sensor was successfully demonstrated in the US in the late 1980s and resulted in Thales winning a competitive shoot-out against other TDDs. This successful trial led to Thales being awarded the full-scale development and production contracts for the TOW 2B TDD. To date Thales has produced over 47,000 TDDs.
About Thales
Thales is a leading international electronics and systems group, addressing defence, aerospace and security markets worldwide. Thales' leading-edge technology is supported by 22,000 R&D engineers who offer a capability unmatched in Europe to develop and deploy field-proven mission-critical information systems. To this end, the group's civil and military businesses develop in parallel and share a common base of technologies to serve a single objective: the security of people, property and nations. The group builds its growth on its unique multi-domestic strategy based on trusted partnerships with national customers and market players, while leveraging its global expertise to support local technology and industrial development. Thales employs 68,000 people in 50 countries with forecast 2007 revenues in excess of €12 billion.
Thales UK is a major electronics and systems group serving defence, aerospace, security and services markets. Thales employs 9,000 staff in the UK, based at more than 50 locations. In 2006 Thales UK's revenues were over £1 bn.
Press contacts:
Thales UK
Kathryn Bell
Mob: +44 (0)7813 903274
Email: kathryn.bell@thalesgroup.com
Thales Air Systems UK Communications
Denise Clarke
Mob: +44 (0)7711 428434
Email:denise.clarke@uk.thalesgroup.com
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