French defence procurement agency selects Thales to expand Big Data capabilities of the armed forces

Digitalisation is gaining ground in every aspect of the combat operations conducted by French forces, but the digital transformation goes well beyond what is visible on the battlefield, increasingly affecting everything from logistic support and maintenance to intelligence systems, predictive analysis, operational information and communication systems, cybersecurity, training and simulation. Thales is a recognised player in Big Data and intends to support the French armed forces ministry’s digital development, which is gaining pace under France’s 2019–25 defence spending plan.

Thales, in partnership with Sopra Steria, is delighted to have been selected by the DGA to implement the second phase of the innovative ARTEMIS partnership programme, which will improve the platform’s capabilities and extend its scope of application. As part of this build phase, Thales will test the solution in the areas of cybersecurity, intelligence, image processing and maritime situational awareness. This demonstrator includes Big Data processing capabilities and calls for the development of specific processing algorithms and a user interface for presenting the results. It will be rolled out progressively at four sites. Ultimately, the platform will be used by the French border agency, justice system and homeland security, and will also be available to other government agencies.

Working with an ecosystem of 80 SMEs and larger companies, Thales is dedicated to supporting the French defence ministry’s ambitions to ensure that operators have the information they need at every decisive moment. Through this programme, Thales is once again demonstrating its high-tech expertise, particularly in the areas of Big Data, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.