Thales Watchkeeper UAS
On September 26th and 27th, Thales will be taking part in ADS Show Europe, dedicated to through-life support services for aerospace and defence organisations, and UAV Show Europe, a business convention for unmanned air systems professionals. As well as presenting its defence aerospace support services and its solutions for unmanned air systems, the Group will be taking part in a number of conference sessions, workshops and round tables.
At ADS Show Europe, Thales is organising its presentation of innovative service solutions around four major themes: equipment and systems availability management, maintenance training and simulation, operation services for UAV-based surveillance systems, and airworthiness and ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) compliance.
Thales provides through-life support services to some 300 customers (armed forces, aircraft manufacturers and government agencies) in over 50 countries. The Group has more than 40 years of experience as a provider of aerospace and defence support services and is one of the key players in this market, with close to 5,000 platforms under contract.
Thales has been a partner of UAV Show Europe since its first edition in 2010. The biennial event brings together the key European players in unmanned aerial vehicles and systems and is an opportunity to present the latest solutions, from micro air vehicles to tactical drones.
Thus, the presentation of the Watchkeeper, Europe’s first UAV system and a central pillar of Franco-British defence cooperation, will be an ideal illustration of Thales’s positioning in this market. For smaller UAVs, the Group will be presenting its innovative Fulmar system for maritime surveillance and security, and the stand will also feature the Spy Arrow mini-UAV system for sensitive site and area surveillance and protection of forces on the move.
TWO AWARDS TO REWARD INNOVATIVE SMES
Thales will be staging an awards ceremony during the gala evening event organised for both shows on 26 September. This year, two awards will go to innovative SMEs that have displayed a particular flair for innovation either in unmanned air systems or in through-life support in the aerospace sector. The initiative highlights the importance of innovation by European SMEs in both these fields and promotes their role as strategic vectors of the Aquitaine region’s innovative potential.
Thales’s cooperation with SMEs is a key factor of its industrial approach. Thus in the UAV sector, Thales in partnership with Aerospace Valley, has worked in support of the Aquitaine regional council projects aimed at structuring the UAV industry in favour of SMEs. By supporting the AETOS cluster, Thales intends to promote the links and complementary areas between major companies, research institutes and SMEs.
