As part of a long-standing relationship between the two companies, Airbus has awarded Thales a contract for a further two new A400M military training simulators (Nos. 7 and 8).
The French and German air forces will benefit from these new simulators respectively in 2019 and 2020.
The two new simulators will enable A400M crews to train in complex missions such as in-flight refueling and low-level tactical operations in a safe environment. So far, Thales has previously delivered five orders for A400M FFS and two Flat Panel Flight - Training Devices to France, Germany, the UK and the International Training Center in Sevilla and a sixth FFS will be delivered to Spain in 2018.
“Thales is proud to have received such long-standing commitment from Airbus and we will continue to provide high-quality simulators to enable flight crews to train for their missions. Thales is committed to supporting the Airbus A400M platform through its development cycle with Airbus,” said Stephen McCann, Vice President, Avionics activities at Thales in the UK.
In the UK, A400M Training Services Ltd (ATSL), a joint venture company formed by Thales and Airbus, manages the training, support services and maintenance at the Royal Air Force at Brize Norton training school in Oxfordshire. In 2017, the training school has already trained over 24 pilots, 20 loadmasters and 204 engineers.
Thales is the only provider of A400M Flight Simulators through OCCAR (Organisation Conjointe de Coopération en matière d’ARmement). In France, Thales is also an Airbus industrial partner for support operations at the Airbus A400M training center on the French Air Force’s Orléans-Bricy 123 base.
The A400M is the most advanced, proven and certified airlifter available, combining 21st century state-of-the-art technologies to fulfill the current and upcoming Armed Forces’ needs. The A400M combines the capability to carry strategic loads with the ability to deliver even into tactical locations with small and unprepared airstrips. In addition, it acts as a frontline-tanker for other aircraft.
Thales is a global technology leader for the Aerospace, Transport, Defence and Security markets. With 62,000 employees in 56 countries, Thales reported sales of €14 billion in 2015.
With over 22,000 engineers and researchers, Thales has a unique capability to design and deploy equipment, systems and services to meet the most complex security requirements. Its exceptional international footprint allows it to work closely with its customers all over the world.
