Thales consortium wins French DGA C-UAS contract

A Thales- and CS Group-led consortium is to deliver C-UAS platforms to the French DGA to reinforce security for the 2024 Olympics and 2023 Rugby World Cup. (Thales and CS Group)

The French defence procurement agency (DGA) has awarded a contract to a consortium led by Thales and CS Group to develop a counter-unmanned aerial vehicle (C-UAV) system, Thales announced on 29 April.

The counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UASs) capability dubbed ‘Parade' will be able to detect, classify, and safely neutralise micro and mini UAVs and can be easily transportable from one site to another via road, air, or sea, the announcement stated.

EUR33 million (USD35.24 million) out of a total EUR350 million has so far been committed to the 11-year programme, Thales said.

Six Parade C-UASs will be acquired as part of the initial order, with the first systems being delivered to the DGA this year, the company noted.

To detect, classify, and track UAVs, the system will utilise radar, optical, and radio frequency (RF) direction finding systems (DF) connected to a command-and-control post, a Thales spokesperson informed Janes.

The system will be able to neutralise UAVs using RF jammers, this includes the neutralisation of piloted and geo-located UAVs, the spokesperson added.

The contract follows an open competition launched by the DGA in 2021 to strengthen the C-UAS capabilities of the armed forces.

In May 2021 the DGA published a contract notice detailing their requirements for aerial anti-UAV systems capable of tackling micro-UAVs (100 g–2 kg) and mini-UAVs (2–25 kg).