Paris. 26 April, 2016. As a major player in the defence sector in both France and Australia, Thales is delighted that DCNS has been selected, after an international competitive evaluation process, as the international partner of the Australian Ministry of Defence for the renewal of its submarine fleet (SEA 1000 programme).
Thales is DCNS’s main shareholder (35%) alongside the French state and is a major defence contractor in Australia, with a local workforce of more than 3,200 employees. Thales already provides acoustic sensors (sonars) to both DCNS and the Royal Australian Navy.
The SEA 1000 programme is the largest acquisition project in the history of Australian defence, representing an investment of around 34 billion euros.
“This is a great day for the Australian and French defence industries. Thales congratulates DCNS for a success that reflects the level of trust between the French and Australian defence sectors and the extent of technology transfers between the two countries. All of us in France are proud to contribute to Australia’s defence capability by providing the very best naval technologies available.” Patrice Caine, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of Thales.
