Thales at the forefront of Unmanned Aircraft Systems - Thales Group

Thales is at the forefront of innovation in UnmannedAircraft Systems (UAS) and is a leader and key partneron the international stage developing new programmeswithin this growing domain. Thales has more than 40years of experience in manned and unmanned airbornesurveillance systems and as such is ideally placed to lead orprovide a strong contribution in the development of currentand future UAS programmes.UAS are playing an ever more important role in defenceplanning. They provide situation awareness that allowscommanders to make better informed decisions andreact accordingly. These autonomous systems not onlyhave significant potential to save lives because they areuninhabited aircraft, but also because they can protectforces on the ground and precisely hone in on enemytargets, thereby minimizing the threat of collateral damage.UAS have the added advantage of providing long-termpersistent capabilities and flexible high performance. Whilethese aircraft have both military and civil applications,Thales is supporting international regulatory initiatives,which are being driven forward in preparation for UASintegration into civil airspace, for which their potentialapplications are endless.Thales is the prime contractor for Europe’s largest UASprogramme, Watchkeeper, and has designed a full rangeof avionics and sensor payloads, data-links and missionsystems for UAS. It is also a key partner in several importantinternational projects aimed at fostering Europeanautonomy in this sector.Thales UAS technologies and system capabilities not onlyhave a successful record in theatres of operation, butthe company has proven its ability to manage complexprogrammes in this field.Tactical UASThales is a global leader in the field of Tactical UAS andhas a strong pedigree in current Tactical UAS systems andtechnologies. Hermes 450 and Watchkeeper are two keyprogrammes for support to Armed Forces in operations.These systems fill the capability gap between short-rangemini-UAVs and long-range platforms, such as the extendedendurance MALE and HALE UAS, by combining flexibility withlonger endurance.Tactical UAS are used for Situational Awareness, Surveillance,Reconnaissance, Target Acquisition, Battle DamageAssessment and Influence activities.Thales brings subsystem design, manufacture and systemsintegration experience together to offer a complete scalabletactical UAS solution that can be tailored to the needs of eachcustomer.Hermes 450In 2007, Thales was awarded an Urgent OperationalRequirement (UOR) contract by the UK Ministry of Defence(MoD) to supply UK forces on current operations withHermes 450 Tactical UAS to provide an urgently needed,enhanced intelligence, surveillance, target acquisitionand reconnaissance (ISTAR) capability.Thales Innovative Service provision provides “ISTAR by theHour” to support UK forces. Thales provides the Hermes450 UAS and training for UK MOD for operations andmaintenance along with Contract logistics support andflight line support in operational theatre.Hermes 450 unmanned air vehicle has achieved over85,000 flying hours supporting UK forces as a battlewinningcapability and is confirmed as one of the leadingISTAR platforms delivering the lion’s share of ISTARsupport to the UK Forces.The UAS is now flying in support of operations, providingpersistent ISTAR coverage and delivering very high visualand IR imagery, day and night. Imagery is available inthe GCS, rebroadcast to Joint HQs and is available tosoldiers on the ground via Remote Viewing Terminals.Additional Tactical UAS have been delivered to boththeatres and ramped up to full operating capability,providing continuous ISTAR over a large area.WatchkeeperThales is the prime contractor and systems integrator forWatchkeeper, currently the world’s most sophisticatedtactical ISTAR system and Europe’s largest UASprogramme. This programme is part of the UK MoD’sdrive to improve protection for its forces in theatres ofoperation, where these systems are set to give commandersa distinct tactical and strategic advantage by carrying outintelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance activities.The Watchkeeper programme is designed to be partof a highly networked system that allows for greaterdissemination and exploitation of intelligence, and will bea key component of the UK’s network enabled capability(NEC).Watchkeeper flew for the first time in the UK on April14, 2010, taking off from dedicated facilities atParcAberporth in West Wales for a 20-minute flight.This was the first milestone in a long-term programmeto demonstrate that the system meets the robust safetyand airworthiness criteria required to fly UAVs initially onranges and segregated airspace in the UK.Watchkeeper is the only Programme designed, built andtested to meet European civil & military UAV airworthinesscriteria. This gives the core system/platform considerablepedigree when it comes to export potential. It is alsocertified by MoD airworthiness authority.

Classroom based training for Watchkeeper began in May2011 at Larkhill, Wiltshire, at the purpose-built UAV trainingfacility.Thales’s innovative approach to ISTAR service provisionnot only satisfies a fast and effective solution to an urgentoperational need for persistent image intelligence at thefront-line, but also paves the way for the enhanced thirdgeneration ISTAR capability that the Thales Watchkeeperprogramme will eventually provide.The Watchkeeper system, which is being produced andintegrated at U-TacS (UAV Tactical Systems Ltd) site in Leicester,UK, delivers accurate and timely ISTAR information to thedecision makers at all levels of Command. Watchkeeper hasa scalable architecture and will be deployed in a range ofconfigurations to meet customer needs. The basic GroundControl Station (GCS) will control three air vehicles toprovide persistent ISTAR to a tactical commander. At its mostcomplex, Watchkeeper can be deployed with multiple GCS’sand air vehicles with mobile command centres. These workto coordinate multiple deployed units and provide a majorinput to ISTAR capabilities in a major conflict. Watchkeepercan provide 24-hour all weather dual payload, multi-missionISTAR capability.Thales will also provide service support for the Watchkeeperprogramme to the UK MoD, which awarded the companyan initial three-year support contract in early 2010. Theperformance-based Contractor Logistics Support (CLS)service is set to provide spares and repairs, technical support,along with the availability of the Watchkeeper trainingfacility. Thales will deliver this service with the support ofits key partners and supply chain, established during theWatchkeeper development and production programme.VTOLSVertical Takeoff and Landing Systems, or VTOLS ie helicopterUAS, are becoming a must for future UAS, as hostileconditions in theatres of operation sometimes result ina lack of proper landing strips. These systems also makedeck-landing a possibility for rotorcraft UAVs, thereby givingthese vehicles a wider range of applications. Thales is at theforefront of such innovation in UAV systems at the Europeanlevel.In 2010 In France, Thales supported a series of comprehensivetrials to assess the operational advantages of a VTOL (VerticalTakeoff and Landing) UAS. The French Defence ProcurementAgency (DGA) had selected Schiebel’s unmanned aerialsystem Camcopter S-100 for these trials.This contract was a further step forward in the Europeanroadmap for UAV systems and confirmed Thales’s expertisein airworthiness and flight certification, as well as itsinvolvement in French and European air safety regulations,and its European leadership in these UAV systems.Thales has successfully lead the Technical Design StudyD2AD for the design and demonstration of an automatictake-off, landing and deck landing system for rotorcraftUAVs, set to be a vital component of future tactical UASprogrammes.Sea trials took place in September and October 2012with 30 successful automatic takeoffs and landings of aSchiebel’s Campcopter equipped with D2AD.The system has been tested under sea conditions up tolevel 3, wind (30kts), rain. With its high landing precisionD2AD has proved that it paves the way for future navalVTOL UAV.MALE UASThe long endurance capabilities of MALE UAS make themideal for the surveillance of theatres of operation andfor zone reconnaissance. These systems can be used toidentify the position of enemy forces, the mass movementof non-combatant populations, the state of in-theatreinfrastructures, as well as to establish lists of targets.Thales is a key European player in unmanned andmanned surveillance systems – in particular, the companybenefits from solid experience in the information-centricoperations of Watchkeeper and manned C4ISTARsystems, which it could draw on to produce the most costeffectiveimplementation of intelligent mission systemcapabilities within the MALE UAS system architecture.Thales sees the combination of its experience andexpertise in C4ISTAR, avionics, unmanned aerial systems,certification, communications and security, battlefieldand exploitation, with the airframer, as providing a clearpotential value for the development of a European MALEUAS.UCAVThales’s technologies are onboard the nEUROn, Europe’sunmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) stealth technologydemonstrator, which successfully completed its maidenflight on December 2012 from the Dassault Aviationcompany’s flight test base in Istres, southern France, incollaboration with the flight test personnel of the Frenchdefense procurement agency (DGA).Thales technology made a substantial contribution tothis milestone event, thanks most notably to the highperformanceGPS hybrid military inertial system andanemometric probes. The inertial system contributesto the drone primary data (position and attitudes). Thehigh level of performance can be achieved thanks tohybridization algorithms and to the use of GPS andEGNOS signals. Thales also develops the communication3

SIGAT is aimed at defining the appropriate radio frequencyassociated with command and control and payload datalinks for future UAS integration into general air traffic. Thalescoordinated SIGAT, which was launched in 2009 and involved16 other industrial co-contractors and 7 subcontractors.SIGAT has helped set the stage for defining a commonEuropean position ahead of the 2012 WRC, which was asuccess for the UAS as new radiofrequencies have beenallocated for the operation of UAS.MIDCASMIDCAS (Mid-air Collision Avoidance System) is thesecond project to emerge from the Air4All roadmap. Thislarge-scale project, grouping together five European statesand 13 industrial partners including Thales, is aimed atresolving “sense & avoid” challenges for UAVs. The projectarrangement has been signed by France, Germany, Italy,Spain and Sweden, with the industrial partnership headedby Saab.Thales, along with Sagem, is responsible for researching the“sense” function in the MIDCAS programme. These radarand sensor technologies play a decisive role in determiningthe UAS performance in terms of sensing aircraft in thesurrounding airspace. Thales is responsible for work on theradar technology and on cooperative sensors (transponder,TCAS/traffic-alert and collision avoidance system, etc.), aswell as the fusion of data from all sensors.The MIDCAS initiative meets the collision avoidancechallenge, a key to being able to integrate UAS in nonsegregatedairspace. It also plays an essential role indeveloping both governmental and civil applications of UAS,by developing a permanent solution guaranteeing flightsafety.ASTRAEAThe Autonomous Systems Technology Related AirborneEvaluation and Assessment (ASTRAEA) programme reflectsthe need for the UK and European aerospace sector toexploit the emerging and lucrative global civil market forUnmanned Air Vehicles (UAVs).The ASTRAEA programme is intended to open up UK civilairspace to the use of UAS by tackling the technologicaland regulatory barriers that currently prevent their routineoperation alongside manned aircraft.ASTRAEA is a unique collaborative programme betweenindustry and the public sector in the UK, with the goal ofopening up civil airspace to unmanned air vehicles, focusingon the technologies, systems, facilities and proceduresthat will allow autonomous vehicles to operate safely androutinelyASTRAEA completed its first phase £32 million programmein 2009 and is finalizing a second 3 year phase of theprogramme in 2013.Key technologies and regulations include Autonomy,Human Factors, Sense and Avoid, SpectrumCommunications and UAV Airworthiness, Crew licensing,Rules of the Air and Air Traffic ManagementA key element of a national and global strategy to buildon the collective capability in the realm of aerospacetechnology, with clear benefits in terms of improvedcompetitiveness, high-value jobs and sustainableeconomic growth.Satcom studiesThe importance of satellite communications isunanimously acknowledged due to the Beyond RadioLine Of Sight operations. Such operations will representa significant part of the missions, including for small RPA.Several studies, especially under the European SpaceAgency framework (e.g. ESPRIT), have been conducted todefine the most suitable satellite capabilities, answeringin particular the stringent safety needsSubsystems and equipmentThales has developed a range of subsystems andequipment to support its UAV capabilities, which can becustomised according to the needs of each client. Theseinclude current and future radar systems such as ATOLS,I-Master and ECUME, Avionics, Missile, Communications.ATOLSThales’s ATOLS (Automatic Takeoff and Landing System)is a compact system that ensures maximum safety, inall weather conditions, during the critical take-off andlanding phases of all UAV operations. This high-precisionand long-range positioning sensor has been selected forthe Watchkeeper programme. The system has removedthe need for GPS coverage during takeoff and landing,thereby reducing the risk of pilot error at a highly criticalflight phase. In its final landing phase, a ground-basedradar guides the Watchkeeper, which also has a ruggedundercarriage that allows it to takeoff from rougherterrain than standard runways.ATOLS has a non-intrusive standalone architecture thatensures quick and simple integration into UAV systems. Anumber of successful UAV qualification flights – includingautomatic takeoffs, landings and touch-and-go – havebeen carried out with Thales’s ATOLS system onboard.I-MasterI-Master Radar is a lightweight tactical surveillance radarhas both Synthetic Aperture (SAR) and Ground-MovingTarget Indicator (GMTI) modes that make it ideally suitedto detecting any type of movement and time sensitivetargets.5

Using I-Master, targets can be detected and imagery formedacross wide areas and extended ranges. It is effective inadverse weather or where smoke or other obscurants maskthe scene. The resulting imagery can be correlated with otherimagery and intelligence sources, and analysed to provideor enhance target detection, classification movement andpattern-of-life history.Other applications include the ability to identify and mapareas of natural disaster, providing users with an accuratepicture of where help may be needed in very quick time. Theprocessed data output can be exploited in the air or datalinkedto the ground.Flight and mission avionics capabilitiesThales is the European leader for dual civil and militaryavionics providing leading edge solutions to the world mainaircraft manufacturer.Thus Thales is in the best position to offer best insertioncapability, performance and competitiveness for the comingnew generation of MALE and UCAV in a large multi-nationalpartnership.As European leader of avionics computing infrastructure,including hardware, secured and certified real-time operatingsystems, data dissemination network, development toolsenvironment, Thales provides the most advanced solutionsuitable for highly demanding MALE and UCAV domain,and able to favor cooperative development. Thales willprovide affordable incremental solutions that will supportplug-and-play capability for continuous evolution or nationalcustomization of the vehicle baseline.Thales is the sole European aeronautical manufacturer ofcivil and military GPS receivers and associated anti-jammingantennas. Thales also supports GALILEO developmentby developing the first PRS receiver. Together with inertialtechnologies based on in-house MEMS, ring laser gyros,and air data sensing, Thales provides outstanding hybridizednavigation solutions selected by Airbus and Embraer ontheir most recent programs. Thus Thales will secure MALEand UCAV localization in order to enable their safe usein non-segregated airspace and in severely jammed warenvironment from taxy phase to mission area.Moreover, Thales will provide the MALE and UCAVmanufacturer a wide portfolio of avionics functions takingbest benefice of a long standing investment in a dualproduct policy for both civil and military applications, likeparametric system health monitoring or flight managementfor constrained navigation.Thales will provide its expertise in human machine interfaceand concept of operation to support emergence of a newgeneration of remote control environment specificallycompatible with MALE long duration flight stakes or UCAVsevere context of operations.Lightweight Multi-role Missile (LMM)Thaless LMM (Lightweight Multi-role Missile) is a lowcost, lightweight, precision strike missile, which has beendesigned to be fired from a variety of light aircraft, UAVsor micro-lites.The missile has different guidance modes including laserbeam riding and/or laser designation to ensure precisionattack of targets with man-in-the-loop or automaticguidance. The missile has a two-stage rocket motorsystem; the first stage provides a ‘soft’ launch from theplatform and the second stage boosts the missile up toa maximum velocity of > Mach 1.5. The fragmentingshaped charge warhead coupled with the laser proximityfuze provides excellent lethality against a wide range oftargets, yet low collateral damage which is essential inbuilt-up and urban environments.A guidance device, safe arming unit and a set of canistershave been designed for integration of LMM onboardvarious kind of fixed wing or rotary wing UAVs.CNI suiteThales offers a comprehensive communication productsportfolio. This encompasses STANAG compliantCommand and Control and Mission Data Link for LOSand SATCOM Communications which are mandatory foreach type of UAV platforms. Communications sub-systemsolutions are also provided for the various type of UASincluding a range of secured communications servicesand information assurance.Thales has developed a small form factor IFF transponderwhich is key for being identified. Currently it operatedsecurely with the mode 4, but new versions has beendeveloped that embeds the mode 5 whose InitialOperating Capability will be pronounced in 2013 bythe US. These new versions will also be able to integrateCooperative Sense and Avoid capability, which are keysfor seamless integration of UAV into Air Traffic.STANAG, interoperability and regulationsOne of the key issue for UAS platform is to fly on varioustype of theatres. By adopting a product policy in line withthe NATO STANAG and ITU regulations, Thales providescommunications solutions which ease airworthiness, flightcertification and interoperability. Thales was awardedseveral developments to improve the frequency spectrummanagement and is a major contributor in the NATOSTANAG working groups.C-ESM PayloadComplementary to EO/IR and Radar payloads, ThalesACS solution (Airborne COMINT solution) enlargethe field of capabilities of the UAV System. It is anadvanced and modular COMINT Payload which canbe integrated in Tactical UAV for targeting missionas well as MALE UAV for C-ESM and/or COMINT6

mission. The last development covers critical target ofinterest like GSM or HF and offensive jamming attackcapabilities.Tools for analyzing operationalneedsThales has developed interactive tools for clients, suchas armed forces, that can be used to test the operationalperformance of UAV systems and tailor them to particularoperational needs. Among these are the BattlefieldTransformation Centre (BTC) for evaluating new technologiesand capabilities that support armed forces, as well as theSystem Oriented UAV Laboratory (SOUL) for testing andintegrating the human side of UAV piloting.BTC (Battlefield Transformation Centre)While force protection has always been a major concernfor Armed Forces, recent conflicts have shown that threatscan evolve at a moment’s notice and it is therefore crucialto be able to adapt quickly. The simulation capacity offeredby the Thales Battle Transformation Centre (BTC) allowsstakeholders to design, test and develop in record time thosesolutions capable of efficiently addressing new threats thatforces face on the ground.In the field of UAVs, the BTC offers a collaborative centre ofexpertise that is ideally suited to identifying and evaluatingsolutions for a smooth and affordable transition to newnetwork-enabled capabilities. BTC enables customers toidentify their precise capability needs and the solutionsThales can provide to meet those needs. Coalitions andgovernments can work together to evaluate the impact oftechnology insertion on their tactics and interoperability.This collaborative process was used in the development of theWatchkeeper programme, from the initial conceptualisationthrough to the final fielded capability.SOUL (System Oriented UAV Laboratory)Thales has developed a unique simulation environment on alaboratory scale called SOUL. This lab is designed to recreatethe type of ground control station from which UAV missionsare conducted. It is composed of several operator displaysdedicated to different mission phases. The goal is to assessthe impact of human factors on the operation of UAVs, aswell as to demonstrate how relevant the solutions beingproposed are for operational missions.The aim of SOUL is also to allow UAV operators tooptimise use of the ground control station. The laboratoryfeatures the real-time transmission and sharing of tacticalsituation data in 3D via a «multi-touch» screen featuringimmediate imaging data enhancement taken from allcontributing UAVs in the field. This tactical situation data,stemming from the soldier on the ground or the commandcentre, is achieved in real time with communication linksmanaged by selective compression systems that focus ondetails about useful areas.Thales is one of the leading companies in Europe insurveillance systems (sensors, airborne computers,communication, mission systems and disseminationnetworks) involved in the most ambitious programmessuch as:Rafale sub-systems: Electronic Warfare, Active ElectronicScanned Array radar, computers, recce EO/IR…Tactical UAV systems – Hermes 450, Watchkeeper andVTOLsSIGINT : Transall Gabriel NG, Surveillance satellitesCommunication : Communication Satellite (ATHENA-FIDUS ), Datalink (Recco NG), NATO ISAFGround Surveillance: Cougar horizon (SAR/GMTI Radar),Martime surveillance : Seaking Mk7 Airborne Missionsystem and SAR GMTI RadarNetworks : NATO ACSS LOC1Thales is positioned at the forefront of innovationfor UAS, addressing needs stemming directly fromoperational theatres, while also helping to prepare civilairspace for these systems. The company looks forwardto further strengthening partnerships in this excitingdomain.Thales – global leader in high performance mannedand unmanned systems and key partner in avionics,sensors and mission systems for UASPress ContactThales, Media relations – Defence AerospaceEmmanuelle Le Folemmanuelle.lefol@thalesgroup.comTel: +33 (0)6 82 65 64 347