Thales Expands Cooperation with Sukhoi; Agreement on Civil Aircraft Opens New Dimension in Long-Standing Relationship
(Source: Thales; issued Dec. 15, 2004)
NEUILLY-SUR-SEINE, France --- Thales has reinforced its position in the Russian aerospace market by signing a protocol with Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company to provide the development and integration of Thales’ full avionics suite on board the Russian Regional Jet (RRJ) airplane.
The protocol, signed in Moscow, defines the main principles of this important industrial cooperation between both companies, including a contract of around 70 million euros for a first batch of equipment.
Thales will participate in Sukhoi’s civil jet programme as the avionics supplier and integrator for the total of the RRJ family. The full avionics suite provided by Thales, including the cockpit display, communication, navigation and surveillance systems, will boost the capacity and performances of the RRJ aircraft. The global scope of this agreement implies the production of a new family of regional aircraft ranging from 60 to 95 seats.
Thales has a long-standing relationship with Sukhoi in the military field, as integrator of retrofit equipment on SU-30 fighters for various customers. Thales was recently awarded a new contract by the Malaysian Air Force to equip a new fleet of Sukhoi SU-3 MKM with the full Cockpit Display System and the last generation Head-Up Display. This contract is being carried out in partnership between Sukhoi and Thales.
Equipped with cutting-edge Thales avionics, the RRJ aircraft will be ready to face the Russian national and export markets as soon as 2007. Sukhoi was already awarded a first contract from SIBIR airline for 50 aircraft of the RRJ family. Other main Western companies have shown a strong interest in the Sukhoi Regional Jet family.
The agreement reached in a highly competitive international environment strengthens Thales’ links with its Russian industrial partners in civil and military markets. It is strongly backed by the French and Russian governments as a priority of bilateral cooperation in the aeronautical field.
This programme, which will last between 10 and 15 years, represents a strategic milestone for both companies in industrial cooperation between France and Russia.
“For the first time in Russia, an airplane manufacturer builds up such vast international cooperation around a commercial airplane programme. Such cooperation is vitally important for Sukhoi’s future aircraft, as it has to be fully marketable and certifiable as per international standards. Today, six European aeronautical companies participate in the RRJ Program, notably Thales”, stated Sukhoi Holding CEO, Mikhail Pogosyan.
François Quentin, Thales Vice President Aerospace, commented, “Thales is proud of taking a leading position in this industrial cooperation by offering our new generation avionics system. We are delighted that Sukhoi has chosen Thales, the European leader in avionics, to provide the best high-tech solutions that illustrate our group’s experience in this domain”.
Thales is an international electronics and systems group, serving defence, aerospace, services and security markets. The group employs 61,500 people worldwide and generated revenues of 10.6 billion euros in 2003.
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