 | |
| Company type | Public |
|---|---|
| |
| ISIN | FR0000121329 |
| Industry | |
| Predecessor | Thomson-CSF |
| Founded | 6 December 2000; 25 years ago (2000-12-06) |
| Headquarters | , France |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Patrice Caine (chairman andCEO) |
| Products | Tactical radios,remote controlled weapon stations,radars,infantry mobility vehicles, aerospace electronics,aeronautics |
| Revenue |  €20.57 billion[1] (2024) |
| €1.69 billion[1] (2024) | |
| €1.41 billion[1] (2024) | |
| Total assets | €39.98 billion[1] (2024) |
| Total equity | €7.55 billion[1] (2024) |
Number of employees | 83,000[1] (2024) |
| Divisions | Thales Optronics |
| Subsidiaries | |
| Website | thalesgroup |
Thales S.A.,trading asThales Group (French pronunciation:[talɛs]), is a Frenchmultinationalaerospace anddefence corporation specialising inelectronics.
It designs, develops and manufactures a wide variety of aerospace and military systems, devices and equipment but also operates in thecybersecurity and formerly civilground transportation sectors. The company is headquartered inParis' business district,La Défense,[4] and its stock is listed onEuronext Paris.
Founded asThomson-CSF in 1968, the group was rebrandedThales in 2000 due to the company's desire to simplify and improve the group's brand.[5][6][7]
Thales is partially owned by theFrench state[8] and operates in more than 68 countries. In 2023, the company generated €18,42 billion in revenue and was the 17th largestdefence contractor in the world,[9] with 53% of its total revenue generated from its military activities.
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The firm began asCompagnie Française Thomson-Houston (CFTH), established in 1893. In 1968Thomson-Brandt (a renamed CFTH) merged its electronics arm with that ofCompagnie générale de la télégraphie sans fil (CSF) to formThomson-CSF, which changed its name to Thales in December 2000.
In October 1999,Samsung Electronics announced a 50-50 joint venture with the global French defense contractor. The joint venture, based inSouth Korea, would be led by a CEO appointed by Samsung Electronics and will take over the entire defense business that Samsung Electronics has been conducting, which employed 697 people and generated sales of KRW 163.1 billion (US$134.5 million) the previous year. The new company would now market Samsung Electronics' defensecommunication equipment,satellite communication systems andterminals,fire control systems,radar guidance equipment including detection and tracking devices, and gunner's sights; and would begin overseas exports through Thomson's sales network.[10][11] Samsung stated that the two parent companies also intended to combine their respective areas of competitive advantage to jointly develop and sell next-generation products.[12]
In June 2001, Thales formedThalesRaytheonSystems, an equal-ownership joint venture withRaytheon combining their radar and communication systems divisions. It was restructured in 2016 to sell exclusively toNATO agencies andmember states.[13]
In 2002, Thales set up the joint venture company Armaris with the French shipbuilderDCN to offer a total "bottom up" shipbuilding capability. Also in 2002, Thales Broadcast Multimedia, a former subsidiary of Thales, providedChina with standardshort-wave radio-broadcasting equipment designed for general publicradio broadcasting. Though the contract was not for this purpose, it later appeared that China used theseALLISSantennas for jamming foreign radio broadcasts to China.
In 2003, Thales UK's design won the competition for theRoyal NavyFuture Carrier (CVF), and the company now participates in an alliance company withBAE Systems and the United Kingdom'sMinistry of Defence.
Thales Navigation, a division that producedsatellite navigation units, was sold to private equity group Shah Capital Partners in 2006 for $170 million and renamedMagellan.[14][15]
In 2006, Thales acquiredAustralian Defence Industries, a major manufacturer of military equipment such as smokeless gunpowder and theBushmaster IMV.
In April 2006, Thales announced it would acquireAlcatel's space business (67% ofAlcatel Alenia Space and 33% ofTelespazio) and Alcatel's Rail Signalling Solutions division, in a deal which raised Alcatel's ownership of Thales to 21.66 percent. The French government would also decrease its ownership in Thales to 27.1 percent from 31.3 percent as part of the acquisition.[16] The deal would also include the Systems Integration activities (those not dedicated to telecoms operators, and covering mainly the transport and energy sectors). In January 2007, the 1.7 billion Euro deal ($2.24 billion) was approved.[17]
In 2008, Thales acquired Britishhardware security module vendor nCipher.[18]
In December 2008, Alcatel agreed to sell a 20.8% stake in French engineering group Thales SA to Dassault Aviation SA for €1.57 billion ($2.27 billion).
In 2012, SYSGO was taken over by the Thales Group of France. It was a German IT company that supplies operating systems and services for embedded systems with high safety and security-related requirements, using Linux.[19]
In 2014, Alcatel-Lucent initiated talks to sell its cybersecurity unit to Thales.[20] The deal was signed in October of that year.[21]
In 2016, Thales acquiredVormetric, a data security company, for $400M.[22]
In 2017, it acquired Guavus[23] and bid €4.76B for digital security companyGemalto.[24]
In 2018, Thales committed to divesting nCipher as a condition for its acquisition of Gemalto;[25] in June 2019 it divested nCipher toEntrust.[26]
In 2023, Thales acquired cybersecurity company,Imperva, fromThoma Bravo for $3.6B.[27] The acquisition was completed in December 2023.[28]
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Thales Group supplies electronic devices and equipment used by the French Armed Forces from its past as Thomson-CSF, including theSPECTRA helmet for the army and thegendarmerie. It has worked withDassault Aviation on theDassault Rafale aircraft and made itsSPECTRA defensive aids. Thales often worked with DCNS and designed the electronics used on French ships, and it is involved in the construction of both theHorizon andFREMM programs. Thales, as Thomson-CSF, was involved in theTaiwan frigates scandal, relating to the sale ofLa Fayette-class frigates to Taiwan.
It is also present inEurosam as Thomson-CSF was a founder of the consortium along withAérospatiale andAlenia Aeronautica. In February 2004, Thales was awarded a contract for a new command and control system for the French Navy, the SIC 21, that will be fitted on the Charles de Gaulle, many vessels and shore locations.
Additionally, the initially plannedFrench aircraft carrier PA2 involved Thales as the main designer of the ship. However, the project was cancelled in 2013.[29]
Thales is also working onX-ray imaging, finances, energy and operating commercial satellites.
By 2012, the company is mainly composed of five branches: Defense, Security, Space, Aerospace and Ground transportation.
Among the EU-supported projects Thales participates in are:
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The company's design won the competition for the Royal NavyFuture Carrier (CVF). It is part of the AirTanker consortium, the winning bid for the RAF'sFuture Strategic Tanker Aircraft. Thales UK won the contract for theBritish ArmyUAV programme,Watchkeeper; however, in January 2026, the company divested its 49% stake in the manufacturing joint venture, UAV Tactical Systems (U-TacS), to its partnerElbit Systems[32]. It also produces theSWARMremote weapon station. Thales simulators include full motion devices as well as flat panels and other training facilities.
Thales Air Defence produces a range of short-range missile systems such as theStarstreak surface-to-air missile orLightweight Multi-role Missile (LMM).
In 2022, during theRussian invasion of Ukraine, major arms manufacturers, including Thales,[33] reported a sharp increase in interim sales and profits.[34]
The Thales ATM (Air Traffic Management) solution is marketed under the name "TopSky", previously named "EuroCat". Thales supplies avionics to civil aircraft manufacturers, includingfly-by-wire systems, cockpit systems, navigation computers, satellite communication, inflight entertainment and electrical systems. The coordination of Thales parts' servicing and maintenance is coordinated by itsMRO division;OEMServices, which handles the repair flow for component maintenance support.
In November 2017, Thales acquired a UK radar provider called Aveillant which produces software-defined holographic radar technology, which can detect small targets such as drones.[35]
In February 2018, Thales won on a A$1.2 billion ($946 million) contract withAirservices Australia and theAustralian Department of Defence to unify Australia'scivil andmilitary airspace under a singleair traffic control system, named "OneSKY".[36]
Thales has had major involvement in the UK rail industry as a result of the Racal merger and the 2006 acquisition of Alcatel's Rail Signalling Solutions division and transport business.[37] As of 2025, Thales is to modernise 40 per cent of London Tube networkLondon Underground.[38]
In Denmark, Thales now owns 100% of the "East-west Consortium" contracted for a nationwide travel card (Danish: "Rejsekort").[39]
In India, Thales was selected in December 2014 by the New Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to deliver a completely automated fare collection system, as well as ticketing equipment.[40] Thales has also been contracted byHyderabad Metro Rail since 2017 to provide train control automation and communication services for the metro inHyderabad.[41]
In 2014, the company was tasked with equipping the public transport system ofBordeaux, France, with a contactless ticketing and revenue collection system, to be installed by February 2017. However, due to delays, the system was not expected to be operational until 2019.[40]
In 2017, Thales was involved in a train collision in Singapore, resulting from a compatibility issue between the old signalling system's interface, and the new one. The accident resulted in 38 minor injuries.[42] A similar incident occurred in March 2019 inHong Kong on theTsuen Wan line.[43]
In Vietnam, the company was awarded a €265 million contract in 2017 to deliver the telecommunications system for the currently constructed Line 3 of theHanoi metro.[44] Running behind schedule by one year, the metro line is stated to be launched in 2023.[45]
In Turkey, the Thales team delivered the first High Speed Line in the country in 2009, and has completed more than 400 km (250 mi) of the Ankara Istanbul High Speed Line.[46]
Effective 31 May 2024, the ground transportation division was sold off toHitachi Rail.[47] The deal was made at $2.5 billion.
Thales is also a major manufacturer ofin-flight entertainment systems on board airliners.[48] Thales' primary competitors in this area of business includePanasonic Avionics Corporation andRockwell Collins.
Thales also produces and installs ticketing and communications systems forpublic transportation via its ticketing and revenue collection division. In November 2016, Thales announced its intention to divest from its transport ticketing, revenue collection, road toll and car park management business.[49] The company entered into negotiations with Paris-based Latour Capital, but the negotiations ended in 2017 after Latour Capital announced this business was "not aligned closely enough with its investment priorities."[50] After subsequent talks withChinese investors failed, Thales abandoned the divestment.[51]
Thales' international subsidiaries generated 52% of the company's revenue in 2008, with Thales UK being the largest of these accounting for 13% of group revenue.[52] Its large presence in the UK (largely as a result of theRacal acquisition) has resulted in several high-profile contracts.
Thales has offices in:[53]
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As of 30 June 2025, Thales' major shareholders are:[62]
| Shareholder | Stake (% of ordinary shares) |
|---|---|
| French state | 26.60% |
| Dassault Aviation | 26.59% |
AHigh Court case decided in 2012 between Thales (supplier of Greater Manchester's tram management system)[63] andTransport for Greater Manchester (TGM) considered the operation of an audit clause in a contract, and the extent to which a supplier must comply with this. Thales had submitted claims for increased costs and for extensions to the time allowed for delivery of the system. TGM made various requests for documents intended to better help assess their claims. The Court instructed Thales to supply the requested documents.[64]
Thales had been contracted to provide a ticketing and revenue collection system forTransports Bordeaux Métropole (TBM), the public transport system for Bordeaux and surrounding area.[65] Although the ticketing system in Bordeaux was originally due for launch in the summer of 2017, multiple delays pushed the new launch date back by 20 months to 2019.[66] The project's many setbacks are considered to reflect negatively on the city's reputation, with Bordeaux's city's mayor and formerFrench prime ministerAlain Juppé, calling Thales' inability to meet its commitments "unacceptable behaviour."[67]
Michel Josserand, former head of THEC, a subsidiary of Thales, and Dominique Monleau alleged that Thales has a centralisedslush fund that it uses to bribe officials.[68]
On 30 May 2005,Schabir Shaik, the financial advisor toJacob Zuma, the deputy president of theAfrican National Congress party, was found guilty by theHigh Court in Durban of organising a bribe on behalf ofThomson-CSF.[69]
On 22 January 2020, theKwaZulu-Natal High Court inPietermaritzburg ruled that both the Thales Group and Zuma could be criminally tried for alleged illegal arms dealings which Thales was allowed to undergo in South Africa.[70][71] Zuma is said to have allowed these illegal Thales arms dealings when he was the nation's deputypresident and is also believed to have partaken in them as well.[71][70]
 | You can helpexpand this article with text translated fromthe corresponding article in French. (January 2015)Click [show] for important translation instructions.
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On 10 June 2011, Thales Group and the French government were ordered to pay 630 million euros (almost a billion US dollars) in fines after the courts heard that bribes had been paid to the Taiwanese government to win a large naval contract. Part (about 27%) of the responsibility was transferred to Thales Group because it held the legacy fromThomson-CSF. As of 2011[update], this is the largest corruption case in French history.[72]
In June 2024, police in France, Spain and the Netherlands searched the offices of Thales as part of a corruption probe. The operation is the result of two investigations; the first, opened at the end of 2016, focuses on suspected corruption of a foreign official, criminal association and money laundering involving the sale of submarines, and the construction of the naval base in Brazil. The second concerns similar offences linked to the sale of military and civilian equipment abroad.[73]
In October of 2021, the Indonesian government carried out bombing attacks against civilians in Kiwirok,Bintang Mountains Regency,West Papua. Australian investigative journalists found Thales-designed and -manufactured bombs had been used, together with drones made by the Chinese company Ziyan.[74][75]
Despite an EU arms embargo after the invasion of Crimea, Thales continued to supply systems to the Russian Army. This includes 800 Catherine XP thermal imaging cameras. The contract was signed in 2012. Thales also supplied TACAN navigation systems for 60Su-30, and SMD55S head-up displays. The contract for these systems was signed in 2014, and deliveries lasted until 2018. Around 20 Topowl helmets were supplied to Russia for theMiG 29.[76]
Sofradir, a joint venture of Thales and Safran, supplied infrared detectors beyond 2016, with 258 of these remaining to be delivered.[76]
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