Thales is the principal provider of secure communications equipment, support and expertise to the Royal Navy, having supplied the guardians of the sea with critical communications equipment for over 60 years.
We have the largest installed base of integrated maritime naval communications capability in the UK, creating a highly sophisticated communication network throughout the Royal Navy fleet, which guarantees their secure exchange of mission critical information anywhere in the world.
From aircraft carriers to mine hunters, frigates to destroyers, our communication solutions are critical to the day-to-day operations of over 50 Royal Navy ships and submarines.
Our high-end, technical solutions (which include internet, satellite, radio communications and internal communications), provide an integrated communications capability that supports the complex processing and secure handling of data across the sea, air and back to shore.
In 2019 Thales successfully delivered the state-of-the-art communication system that sits at the heart of the Queen Elizabeth and Prince of Wales Aircraft Carriers - the navy’s largest and most powerful vessels.
The installation was the largest, and most advanced communication solution ever provided to the Royal Navy, without which the carriers would not be able to operate.
It is upon these highly complex, technical challenges that Thales thrives as a business and enables us to consistently deliver the world’s leading communications capability to the Royal Navy.
From the provision of world-leading communication systems, to the delivery of training and support, we provide the Royal Navy fleet with end-to-end communication solutions so that they can safely and securely achieve their missions all over the world.
End-to-end communications solutions
Above and below water Royal Naval vessels contain complete integrated communications systems supplied by Thales. Systems cover everything from the voice and data terminals, emergency telephones, and broadcast and alarms found throughout the boat or ship through to the communications management system and its integration with V/UHF radios HF radios and satellite terminals, enabling effective communication within and outside the vessel.
Support
We maintain, diagnose and repair communication solutions across more than 50 of the Royal Navy’s ships and submarines, supporting 1,200 separate Line Replaceable Units equating to over 15,000 parts.
Training
Our training solutions enable navies to benefit from access to high quality instruction on exact replicas of the communications equipment that they will use in service. This helps to maximise learning outcomes and enables suitably qualified and experienced personnel to get to the front line faster.
Secure and dependable communications equipment is important to the Royal Navy, which is why we are forward thinking and investing in developing advanced communication solutions and systems that will guarantee operational capability. This is showcased in our work for the Queen Elizabeth and Prince of Wales Aircraft Carriers.
Enabling a digital future requires new thinking and new business models are creating a world of limitless possibilities with a full range of interconnected solutions. To overcome the challenges and vulnerabilities, we bring people, ideas, and things together, using big data, connectivity and artificial intelligence. We are also committed to maintaining trust and cyber security, opportunities whilst and mitigating risk.
We ensure that the Royal Navy can benefit from trusted, secure, reliable and resilient communications that provides them with information advantage at all times.