Being selected for a new-generation flight management system (FMS) on the Airbus A320, A330 and A350 is consolidating Thales’ position in the avionics market versus Collins Aerospace, GE Aviation and Honeywell.
The distinctive, 100-kg (220-lb.) UAS100 has been designed to carry up to 10 kg with a radius of action of 100 km (62 mi.) and perform surveillance of critical infrastructure.
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, Thales has managed to control damage at the company level thanks to a diversified portfolio of activities but its civil aviation branch was nevertheless hit hard.
The two companies say they have developed a compact system that can be retrofitted into light single-engine aircraft, and the first target for their efforts is Airbus’ H125/AS350 Ecureuil/AStar light helicopter.
Thales is gearing up for its first deliveries of the DME 500, the French group’s fifth-generation distance measuring equipment (DME), which is compatible with existing onboard receivers.
The Archange aircraft will use Thales’ CUGE universal electronic warfare payload, and will replace the French Air Force's two C-160G Gabriel platforms.
Publicly traded shares of aerospace and defense companies around most of the Western world ended 2019 about 34% above where they began a year ago, and 6% better off than major stock market indices, Wall Street analysts said in year-end reports.
