Thales to supply electronic warfare programming stations for French Army and Navy helicopters

Thales has been selected by the French defence procurement agency (DGA) to supply 50 electronic warfare programming stations for seven families of helicopters in service with the French armed forces. The helicopters are the upgraded Cougar, EC725 HUS, Tiger standard 1 & 2, NH90, Gazelle and Puma operated by French Army aviation; and the Panther in service with the French Navy. The electronic warfare programming stations are scheduled for delivery by the end of the first quarter of 2012, following customer qualification starting in late 2011.

The programming stations perform two main functions:

* Pre-mission uploading of threat libraries for self-protection systems. This data enables a platform's systems and equipment to detect and identify the full range of radar, missile and laser threats in the battlespace, and initiate appropriate protective action.
* Post-mission collection and analysis of recorded data to supplement threat libraries for future operations.

Twenty-six stations have been ordered for French Army aviation and 24 for the French Navy. A key benefit of the contract is commonality: the new stations can be used with all seven families of helicopters, whereas previous stations were restricted to a single family. This innovative capability offers a number of advantages:

* easy familiarisation and use by operators thanks to a standard interface,
* simpler, faster operator training,
* common maintenance procedures,
* more efficient sharing of operational libraries.

This latest success is a further endorsement of Thales's ability to design, develop and manufacture electronic warfare self-protection systems as well as mission planning/debriefing stations for aircraft deployed on transport, surveillance, patrol and combat missions.

Thales self-protection systems equip the majority of helicopters in service with the French armed forces, providing aircraft and their crews with the crucial protection they need against a broad array of threats - in particular surface-to-air and air-to-air missiles - in all types of theatres of operations.

Source: Thales