• The French defence ministry’s integrated structure for through-life support of land forces equipment (SIMMT1) has awarded Thales the ABSOLU2 operational support and logistics contract.
  • In terms of its scale and format, the ten-year contract is the first of its kind for the French armed forces and will ultimately consolidate some 30 separate support contracts for land-based equipment in service with the French Army, Navy and Air & Space Force.
  • This flagship agreement addresses the need to prepare the forces for high-intensity conflicts, while helping to promote sustainable resource management.

Thales reorganises its support capabilities to enhance mission readinessParis. 26 March 2025. ABSOLU will consolidate some 30 separate maintenance contracts into a single agreement to simplify contract management and significantly improve operational performance. Its shared project management model will shorten repair turnaround times to increase equipment availability, as well as expanding the re-use of components and raw materials to support the development of a circular economy.

 Under the terms of this single framework contract for maintenance services, Thales also undertakes to double its equipment handling capacity in the event of a high-intensity conflict. Until now, SIMMT has awarded a separate maintenance contract for each platform. The pioneering new format will revolutionise the strategic partnership between Thales and the French forces and deliver significant efficiency gains for the end customer. To guarantee this level of service, the Group has put new processes in place and developed a comprehensive roadmap for the ramp-up of its support delivery capacity:
  • creation of a joint management platform for shorter decision and repair cycles
  • inventory consolidation and constitution of reserve stocks in two distinct locations
  • use of data science for continuous monitoring of support delivery performance, predictive material and resource planning, and proactive decision-making in coordination with government customers.

The shift towards a circular economy is another important aspect of the ABSOLU contract. Thales is developing new ways of re-using materials and components to extend equipment lifetimes and enhance mission readiness, especially in high-intensity conflicts where equipment takes a heavy toll. As part of this approach, critical components (circuit boards, electronic equipment) and raw materials will also be sorted and recycled to help address environmental issues and ease supply chain tensions.

“SIMMT will leverage Thales’s expertise and agility to support deployed forces more effectively than ever before. The new contract includes an undertaking by Thales to reduce repair times by 30% and will significantly increase the operational readiness of the equipment in service with the armed forces,” said Christophe Salomon, Executive Vice-President, Secure Communications and Information Systems, Thales.

The initial scope of the ABSOLU contract includes maintenance of PR4G fourth-generation radio sets, MELCHIOR long-range HF communication systems and ground stations developed under the ASTRIDE3 2 programme, all of which enable the French armed forces to command expeditionary forces autonomously and act as a framework nation in coalition operations. Ultimately, the contract will encompass all SIMMT maintenance programmes for Thales equipment.

 SIMMT: Integrated structure for through-life support of land forces equipment
 
ABSOLU: End-to-end adaptation of operational support and harmonised logistics for Thales land-based systems
 
ASTRIDE: Access via satellite and radio transmissions to battlespace area network and intranet