Thales to Provide Radar for U.K. Surveillance Helicopter -U.K. Defense Ministry

By Robert Wall

LONDON--The U.K. Ministry of Defence on Friday said it had accelerated a helicopter surveillance program to avoid a looming capability gap and that Thales SA (HO.FR) would provide the critical radar for the system intended to help protect the Royal Navy's future Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier.

The U.K. plans to retire in 2018 the Sea King Mk7 helicopters, which currently are used for long-range air monitoring. That task is being shifted to the newer Merlin Mk2 based on AgustaWestland's EH101 chopper under the so-called Crowsnest project. "We have accelerated our program delivery strategy in order to sustain the capability seamlessly," Air Vice-Marshal Julian Young, the ministry's director of helicopters, said in a statement.

The system to detect threats to the Queen Elizabeth aircraft carriers, which are due to begin operational use at the end of the decade, has been accelerated 18 months to enter service in 2018, a defense ministry spokeswoman said.

The ministry said it and Lockheed Martin Corp. (LMT), the company overall in charge of Crowsnest, picked Thales to provide the radar sensor and mission system. Lockheed Martin had a competing offer.

"Crowsnest will be the 'eyes and ears' of the fleet, designed to provide early detection of potential air and surface threats and provide military commanders time to take essential and often pivotal decisions," Philip Dunne, the U.K.'s Minister of State for Defence Procurement said.

Contract terms with Thales are still being finalized, the ministry spokeswoman said. The program for 10 systems is expected to have a value of around 500 million pounds ($780 million). Thales already provided the surveillance radar on the current Sea King helicopters.

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