Thales has secured a contract from the NATO Support and Procurement Agency to deliver its ForceShield air defence system to the Portuguese Army.
The contract is aimed at bolstering Portugal's very short-range air defence capabilities.
Developed by Thales, the ForceShield integrated air defence solution is designed to safeguard military forces, civilians, and vital infrastructure against aerial threats.
The system is equipped to detect, coordinate, engage, and neutralise threats – from low-altitude threats such as unmanned aircraft systems to helicopters, fighter ground attacks or cruise missiles.
Under the contract, Thales will deliver the ForceShield Compact package, which encompasses a Ground Master 200 air surveillance radar, the Air Defence command-and-control centre known as ControlView, a radio communications system, and portable weapon allocation terminals.
Additionally, the system features the RapidRanger vehicles equipped with StarStreak high-velocity air defence missiles and lightweight multirole missile anti-armour missiles.
The Ground Master 200 radar is engineered to establish and maintain track of targets swiftly and accurately, thus enhancing situational awareness and enabling optimal threat engagement.
ControlView uses this information to assess threats and coordinate the deployment of firing units through the weapon terminals.
Thales's RapidRanger lightweight, vehicle-mounted system boasts high automation and is capable of delivering a swift response to both air and surface threats.
Thales integrated airspace protection systems vice-president Raphael DESI said: “Thales is proud to contribute effectively to the capability enhancement of Portuguese Army.
“This first contract is a recognition of the trust on our air defence systems by NATO countries and all over the world to support nations safeguarding their airspace sovereignty.”
In 2018, Thales’ ForceSHIELD ground-based air defence achieved full system acceptance with the Malaysian Armed Forces as part of a contract signed in 2015.
The company was also contracted by the Indonesian Ministry of Defence for delivery of the ForceSHIELD system.
