About Thales

Thales S.A. provides solutions for customers in the aerospace, space, defense, security, and transportation markets. The Aerospace operating segment combines the Avionics and Space Global Business Units that develop on-board systems, solutions and services mainly with non governmental customers (aircraft manufacturers, airlines, and satellite operator) and also, to a lesser extent, with governmental customers (states, space agencies and other para governmental organizations). The Transport operating segment consists of the Ground Transportation Systems Global Business Unit that develops systems and services for an exclusively civil customer base of ground transportation infrastructure operators. The Defence and Security operating segment combines the Secure Communications and Information Systems, Land and Air Systems and Defense Mission Systems Global Business Units which develop equipment, systems and services for the armed and security forces, as well as the protection of networks and infrastructures, mainly with a governmental defense customer base. Thales manufactures electronic systems for airborne combat, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, as well as naval surface and underwater combat systems. For airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions, the company designs naval patrol and surveillance, ground and air surveillance solutions, including a range of electromagnetic-based intelligence gathering sensors. These systems, installed on airborne platforms, incorporate surveillance radars, acoustic sub-systems, electromagnetic measuring equipment, and data links. Thales also designs complete UAV systems with intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance capabilities. In surface naval warfare, the company’s offering covers all combat systems with the integration of equipment (radar, electronic warfare, infrared sensors, etc.), weapons systems, communications and command equipment, as well as naval platform engineering capabilities. In underwater warfare, the company offers a broad range of products including the submarine sonar suite, hull-mounted and towed array sonar for surface ships, anti-mine systems incorporating multiple sonars, including the use of unmanned underwater vehicles, as well as torpedo acoustic heads. Competition In the commercial satellite segment, the company’s main competitors are Space Systems/Loral, Airbus Group, Orbital ATK, Boeing and Lockheed Martin. In the military segment, its main competitors are the US companies Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Raytheon, and Finmeccanica, Airbus Group, BAE Systems, Indra and Saab in Europe. In electronic combat systems, the company is one of the European players, competing with Finmeccanica (Selex), BAE Systems, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon and Northrop Grumman in addition to Airbus Group, General Atomics and Elbit in intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems. Research and Development In 2015, the company spent €707 million (approx. 5% of sales) purely on self-funded R&D, an essential lever to remain competitive. Strategic Alliance As of October 06, 2021, Thales S.A. and Google LLC announced a strategic agreement to co-develop a sovereign hyperscale cloud offering for France. History The company was founded in 1893. It was formerly known as Thomson-CSF and changed its name to Thales S.A. in 2000.