About Thales
As the UK’s second largest defence electronics supplier – and one of the world’s most innovative – Thales employs approximately 8,500 people in more than 40 locations across the country. But defence is just one of several areas in which we’re breaking new ground.
Thales UK touches all of our lives, every day. Our expertise in secure network communications, for example, safeguards as many as 3.7 billion BACS transactions, worth around £1 trillion, every year. We are a leader in onboard equipment for civil and military aircraft. And every time you take a train journey you’re relying on Thales to help you arrive safely.
The simple fact is that, every single day, organisations in all areas of government, defence, aerospace, banking, finance, energy and air travel are trusting Thales UK to deliver safety, security and seamless information management.
Thales in Glasgow is a world leader in the field of advanced electro-optic night vision equipment and systems with our heritage in the field of optics stretching back to 1888 when the Company, then known as Barr & Stroud Ltd, was first formed.
Since that time, Thales has continually met the most stringent requirements for visual systems from customers around the world. The Company's optical systems have continually set the pace in optical design, leading to many of our products being world firsts in their respective categories.
Thales’ expertise in augmenting optical performance with electronic equipment goes back to the mid-1960's when the Company produced its first Lasers and Thermal Imagers. However in today’s modern military environment, electro-optic systems require additional capabilities to not only extract every last drop of information from captured imagery, but also to assist the operator, be they a pilot, tank commander or submariner, with their decision making processes.
This requires a unique capabilities found in the fields of signal and image processing - an area in which Thales again is a world leader. Since the 1980's, Thales has developed an unrivalled expertise in signal and image processing, leading to the development and manufacture of Infra-Red Search and Track systems, Missile and Threat Warning Systems and Stabilisation systems.
Examples of these capabilities are the PIRATE (Passive Infra-Red Airborne Tracking Equipment) system, which is fitted to the Typhoon/Eurofighter aircraft, the Elix-IR Helicopter Threat Warning System and the unique 3-axis stabilisation system fitted to the Optronics Mast on the Royal Navy's Astute Class Submarines.
For more information on Thales, please visit http://www.thalesgroup.co.uk/