Thales to deliver Unmanned Air Service capability with its Fulmar solution to the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA)
Key points
- The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency selects Thales’s Fulmar UAS to equip six New Generation Patrol Crafts.
- The Fulmar system offers rapid deployment and retrieval, with minimal interference to the ship’s operations whilst in motion.
- The system offers high performance surveillance features such as Automatic Detection and Tracking and Automatic Identification.
Fulmar, a small, high performance, fixed wing UAS, is to be installed on six New Generation Patrol Crafts (NGPC), being constructed by Destini Shipbuilding and Engineering Sdn. Bhd. The maritime design of Fulmar allows the aircraft to take-off and land, whilst the ship is in motion, a key requirement of the MMEA. This capability offers an unrivalled competitive advantage to other systems in the market.
Fulmar will extend the operational capabilities of the Malaysian maritime surveillance fleet, proving a broad range of operational capabilities including counter-piracy, anti-smuggling operations, fisheries policing and border surveillance. Automatic detection and tracking systems and Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) deliver unrivalled high performance surveillance on a flexible platform.
Thales remains committed to supporting the Malaysian authorities as it renews and updates its naval fleet. Starting in 2016, Thales employees in Malaysia will provide local training and support for the Fulmar, ensuring effective knowledge transfer for operational and maintenance needs throughout the system’s life cycle.
Thales has over 40 years of experience in airborne surveillance systems and is the European leader in Tactical Unmanned Aircraft, making us the ideal partner for current and future surveillance UAV programmes.
“As the MMEA seeks to upgrade its surveillance capabilities, the Fulmar provides a competitive solution which complements its state-of-the-art vessels. We are pleased to partner with Thales in further developing the expertise in coastal surveillance in Malaysia.” Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Rodzali Bin Daud, Chairman of Destini Berhad
Thales is a leading provider of integrated maritime safety & security systems, offering a comprehensive set of capabilities and unrivalled expertise in key components such as sensors, command & control and communications. With its extensive system design, integration and simulation experience, Thales is uniquely positioned to optimise maritime safety & security assets and provide efficient and competitive solutions.
The coupling of the FULMAR to the Thales Maritime Command & Control application has been demonstrated to more than 50 European Coast Guards and FRONTEX representatives during an on the field test and during trials held for the Spanish Navy in order to prepare a landing into a net on top of the frigate’s flight deck.
The FULMAR system has a reduced lifecycle cost and high-performance features than can be easily deployed and integrated into C4 ISTAR systems. Its operational and maintenance simplicity makes it the most effective mini-UAV system with high-tactical capabilities.