After winning UK surveillance system deal, Thales aims to deliver by late 2006 and expects order to kick-start exports
Thales is to deliver the UK's Watchkeeper intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance system from late 2006, after being named preferred supplier for the programme, worth around £800 million ($1.5 billion) at Farnborough International.
Announced at the show by UK defence secretary Geoff Hoon, the order could also kick-start export business worth a further £400 million over the next decade, say Thales officials. The company had long been considered favourite to win the UK contest ahead of a rival submission from the USA's Northrop Grumman.
"We have identified Thales Defence as offering the best value for money and potential to deliver the required capability," said Hoon on 20 July. "Negotiations will start immediately and the contract will only be let once these have been successfully concluded."
Centering on finalising the composition of the Watchkeeper system, this process is expected to be complete before year-end. Initial operations will start in late 2006. Flight testing will be conducted in the UK, in the Cardigan Bay area off the west Wales coast, Thales confirmed following the selection.
The Thales system will comprise WK180 and WK450 variants of the Elbit Silver Arrow Hermes 180 and 450 unmanned air vehicles, plus ground stations and support equipment. Thales and Elbit are to establish a joint venture company to build the UAVs at the former company's Leicester plant in the East Midlands, UK.
Total UK employment on the project could reach up to 2,500 jobs if the projected level of export business is secured. Thales has already briefed its Watchkeeper solution to Australia, France and the Scandinavian nations.
Thales also used the show to release first details of its I-Master lightweight synthetic aperture radar/moving target indicator payload, which it says offers "submetric resolution" imagery from a range of up to 20km (10.8nm). With a weight of less than 30kg (66lb), I-Master is slated for integration with the WK180 low-level UAV for Watchkeeper.
A larger Thales system could equip the larger WK450 air vehicle, with Elta Electronics' EL/MH 2055 and General Atomics' Lynx radars also under consideration.
Thales and Wescam are contesting a further requirement to supply the Watchkeeper air vehicles' electro-optical payload.
Source: Flight International
