08.11.2016
Share
Share this article
Facebook
Twitter
Google Plus
LinkedIn
Key Points
Thales and the UK government has announced a major investment in next generation aircraft communications technology
Official opening of new £2million customer engagement suite by Jesse Norman, Minister for Industry and Energy
Investment reflects importance placed on aerospace market by government and industry, and will create 145 high value engineering roles.
Thales announces a major investment in next generation aircraft communications technology with the commitment to a jointly funded £20 million research project in partnership with the government funded Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) and the opening of a state-of-the-art customer engagement suite in the UK. The opening of the engagement suite and the announcement of £20m investment in innovative research represents an exciting opportunity for Thales. It also highlights the importance of the government's industrial strategy in the aerospace sector and in particular success of the ATI as a means of attracting investment in to the UK.
Victor Chavez, CEO, Thales UK
This investment reflects the strategic value that Thales and the UK Government attaches to UK-based research and development and ongoing commitment to a strong UK Aerospace industry in a global marketplace.
Victor Chavez and Jesse Norman MP
Officially opened by the Minister for Industry and Energy Jesse Norman MP, the suite will provide a new focal point for the ground breaking new communications technology being developed at Crawley in Sussex. As among the first signatories to the Aerospace Growth Partnership's UK Aerospace Supply Chain Competitiveness Charter, the suite will promote engagement with customers and UK industry partners and emerging innovative Small and Medium Enterprises to build a globally competitive UK civil aircraft communications and connectivity industrial base.
With the global commercial air traffic expected to double every 15 years, aircraft operators face the challenge of reliably, securely and cost effectively delivering the range of communication services increasingly expected by passengers and required by operators. Delivering on the demand of these connected aircraft will require a radically different technological approach.
The research project announced today is part of a portfolio of strategic Thales investments to develop unique technology to address this global market. The aim is to position the UK as a leader in the field which will create 145 high value jobs in the UK supply chain.
Thales in the UK has an established track record in developing civil communications products, with over 20 years experience. Current products have generated over two billion in revenue to industry. This research project builds on this success and heritage. It will specifically develop skills in software network engineering, radio frequency technology and digital and signal processing and security.
The products developed from this research will transform how safe and secure communications are delivered to passengers and operators in both the cabin and the cockpit. The market potential for future communications products is estimated in the billions.I was delighted to visit Thales and see for myself how government and industry are working together for the benefit of the UK aerospace industry. This £20 million joint-industry funded research project is expected to create 145 jobs and shows how the government's forthcoming industrial strategy can help upgrade local economies and provide a boost to one of our most important sectors.
Jesse Norman (MP), Minister for Industry and Energy
The decision to invest in the UK was strengthened by the government's commitment to the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI). The ATI sets the national aerospace technology strategy to ensure the UK retains a world-leading aerospace sector, and is backed by a joint government-industry commitment to invest £3.9 billion in research & technology to 2026. About Thales
Thales is a global technology leader for the Aerospace, Transport, Defence and Security markets. With 62,000 employees in 56 countries, Thales reported sales of 14 billion in 2015. With over 22,000 engineers and researchers, Thales has a unique capability to design and deploy equipment, systems and services to meet the most complex security requirements. Its exceptional international footprint allows it to work closely with its customers all over the world.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
30/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
30/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
30/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
30/05/2026
Zero in on one that says yes (and no)
Andy Marken May 29, 2026
0 Comments
Hero image courtesy of Deposit Photos
For content creators the most difficu...
29/05/2026
With InfoComm 2026 just weeks away, NDI is giving attendees plenty of reasons to...
29/05/2026
Reaffirming a partnership that has defined Canadian sports broadcasting since 19...
29/05/2026
Mobile/tablet is No. 2 device for watching TV, suggesting that the sports-production industry needs to take another look at the format
Ring Digital's Sprin...
29/05/2026
Berliner Ensemble, one of Berlin's five major theater companies, has expande...
29/05/2026
Solid State Logic will showcase its new compact, fly-away TCA Tour audio product...
29/05/2026
Gerald (Jerry) Pierce, a pioneering technologist who helped shape the digital transformation of the motion picture industry, passed away last month on April 12 ...
29/05/2026
Paramount+ will be the English-language U.S. home for Barclays Women's Super...
29/05/2026
Further strengthening its virtualisation strategy to fully support broadcasters ...
29/05/2026
Swiss broadcaster Canal Alpha has deployed Harmonic's award-winning, software-based XOS Advanced Media Processor to modernize playout operations across cant...
29/05/2026
PTZOptics will showcase a new generation of intelligent video workflows at InfoComm 2026, June 17-19, Las Vegas. Visitors to booth N8227 will see how PTZOptics ...
29/05/2026
Arizona's Family has launched the Arizona's Family Sports (AZFS) streaming app, a new direct-to-consumer destination for live, local sports. The app is ...
29/05/2026
Starting in 2027, DAZN will be the exclusive home of The Canadian Football Leagu...
29/05/2026
Comcast Business has detailed the advanced network infrastructure it has deploye...
29/05/2026
In two-day event, leaders from academia and industry explored solutions to chall...
29/05/2026
The Basketball Tournament (TBT), now entering their 13th year of competition, ha...
29/05/2026
Roku has launched FOX One as a Premium Subscription on The Roku Channel in the U.S. Roku customers can now subscribe to FOX One using their Roku account for liv...
29/05/2026
In its sixth year, the broadcaster's coverage has become a global brand and ...
29/05/2026
Ratings Roundup is a rundown of recent ratings news and is derived from press re...
29/05/2026
The days are getting longer, the temperatures are rising, and playlists are filling up for the season. With summer around the corner, Spotify's global edito...
29/05/2026
New retro-inspired MPC announced
There are few devices that have gained the status held by Akai Pro's MPC range, and in recent years, the company have s...
29/05/2026
Save up to 30 on acclaimed titles
Following a successful launch at Superbooth 2026, Bjooks have revealed that they will be continuing the Kickstarter campa...
29/05/2026
Binaural monitoring application improved
Genelec have just released an update that brings some powerful new features to their HRTF-based binaural headphone ...
29/05/2026
6 June 2026 at SAE Institute, London, UK
IMSTA FESTA 2026 is almost upon us, with some of the biggest names in pro-audio set to descend upon SAE Institute i...
29/05/2026
Gerald (Jerry) Pierce, a pioneering technologist who helped shape the digital transformation of the motion picture industry, died April 12, 2026, at his home in...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Comparing 5 AI Video Enhancers for Restoring Old Video Quality
Kate Luvis May 29, 2026
0 Comments
Digitizing VHS, MiniDV, and other legacy formats doe...
29/05/2026
Studio Hamburg Builds New Post Pipeline with DaVinci Resolve Studio
Brie Clayton May 29, 2026
0 Comments
Workflow replaces a patchwork of legacy tools...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
At the Intersection of Music and Dance, an Epic Collaboration Boston Conservatory musicians and dancers found creative parallels in their recent performance o...
29/05/2026
Back to All News
Latino Film Institute Fellows Screen Their Short Films at the Egyptian Theatre
The Inclusion Fellowship and Spark Animation Grant uplifts 15 ...
29/05/2026
GLOOKAST LAUNCHES CINNAFILM TACHYON PLUGIN FOR MEDIA PRODUCER AND MEDIA SERVICES
This release first appeared here.
Visit our Tachyon product page or contact...
29/05/2026
May 29 2026, 09:00 (PDT) Dolby and rednote Bring More Immersive Storytelling to...
29/05/2026
Something fundamental has shifted in how people consume media. Audiences aren't abandoning television or radio content; they're just expanding how, wher...
29/05/2026
Youtube exclusive special drops today
Watch now
UKTV today announces another e...
29/05/2026
Back to All News
The Official Trailer of Physical 100 Italy, on Netflix From Se...
08.11.2016 
