Navigation Study Engineer Intern

Thales will supply Romania with 4 mobile radar systems for airspace surveillance, a contract worth over 320 million lei. Thales and the Ministry of National Defence are strengthening their collaboration by signing a new contract for the supply of four mobile primary and secondary radar systems, intended for military and civil airspace surveillance, as well as approach and landing operations. Lidia Neagu - Tue, Oct 27, 2026, 15:45 According to Thales, the systems will enhance the Romanian Air Force's ability to relocate its operations and use alternative locations, reducing dependence on fixed air base infrastructure and strengthening operational resilience. According to MAPN, the contract value is approximately 326.5 million lei, excluding VAT, and deliveries will be made in stages starting in 2028. "We are honored by the trust the Government of Romania places in Thales. By choosing our mobile radars, for both military and civil use, Romania will be able to rely on the robustness and reliability of our global military air traffic control solutions, as well as on our commitment to supporting its efforts to strengthen airspace security and interoperability with NATO," said Lionel de Castellane, VP Air Traffic and Coastal Radars, Thales. Under the multi-year contract, delivery of the systems to four Romanian Air Force locations will be carried out in stages, with all systems to be delivered by 2030. The radars will provide target data in real time and in all weather conditions to national and NATO command and control systems, 24 hours a day. "The four mobile radar systems (Ground Controlled Approach - GCA) will provide air traffic controllers with precise, real-time information on aircraft position relative to the runway centerline and descent path. These will support approach and landing procedures, including in low-visibility conditions when visual references are limited. Thus, Romanian Air Force personnel will be able to safely manage aircraft movements in demanding operational environments, including in places where fixed infrastructure is unavailable or insufficient," the Thales release states. STAR NG is an S-band primary surveillance radar with a scalable architecture, designed for approach control. It provides coverage of up to 60 nautical miles and can be used in both civil and military applications, including at airports and air bases. In addition, Thales's RSM NG/IFF system integrates three technologies into a single metasensor: NATO Mode 5, the military "friend or foe" identification system (IFF); Mode S, in accordance with EUROCONTROL standards, for secondary surveillance of civil air traffic; and ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast), for automatic dependent surveillance via broadcast. This integration enables aircraft identification in accordance with the main defense and civil aviation standards. Thales will also install four Precision Approach Radars (PAR), which will enable the safe and precise guidance of all types of aircraft during approach and landing, including in difficult weather conditions and low visibility. By choosing a mobile, interoperable, dual-use solution - for civil and military purposes, Romania strengthens its airspace surveillance and air traffic control capabilities, increasing their resilience across the entire national territory. The integrated surveillance, identification and precision approach capabilities will provide operators with a more detailed air picture and ensure seamless interoperability with national and NATO command and control systems. This investment strengthens Romania's position in the field of mobile and interoperable military air traffic management and its ability to respond quickly to evolving operational requirements. Cyber-secured from the design phase, the systems comply with the latest EUROCONTROL and ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) recommendations. They will enhance Romania's airspace surveillance capabilities and interoperability with NATO, helping to improve operational situational awareness on the Alliance's eastern flank. The program will benefit from local presence and Thales's experience in Romania. The team of engineers in Bucharest works closely with the Ministry of National Defence and local partners to support the installation, integration and long-term availability of the systems. Local experience will be complemented by Thales's global experience in military air traffic control and surveillance, ensuring operational value both during installation and throughout the entire operating period of the systems. With almost 60 years of experience in air traffic control and surveillance, Thales has delivered more than 1,200 systems in over 100 countries.

Thales boosts Australia's defence capabilities with new sonar facility in Western Sydney. - Oct 26, 2026 A new sonar manufacturing facility within Thales Australia's Western Sydney advanced manufacturing complex, opened this week by the Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy, will become a hub for the design, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced undersea acoustic systems. Thales Australia and Australia jointly invested in the multimillion-dollar facility at Rydalmere which has been built within the wider Thales Australia Acoustics Centre of Excellence and will be a critical piece of the sovereign supply chain for the Thales towed array system onboard the Hunter Class Frigates. The hall is 100 metres long and is designed to facilitate the end-to-end manufacture of towed array sonar systems that act as the 'ears' of submarines, surface ships and autonomous maritime systems. For more than three decades, the Rydalmere facility has supported the Royal Australian Navy with world-class sonar technologies that enhance anti-submarine warfare (ASW), maritime surveillance and undersea domain awareness, including on the Collins Class submarine. The new facility boosts this Australian-made deterrence by ensuring end-to-end sovereign manufacturing capability and capacity for next-generation towed array sonar systems that support submarines and surface combatants, and thin-line towed arrays for uncrewed maritime systems serving both Australian and export markets. It also enables the local sustainment of acoustic systems, maximising deployment times for Australian intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) activities and reducing the need for lengthy offshore maintenance periods. In particular, the towed array facility will deliver: * Hunter Class Frigate Program Towed Array Sonars enabling long-range submarine detection and tracking while enhancing fleet survivability and maritime domain awareness. * Collins Class Submarine Sonar System, built upon more than 35 years of collaboration between Thales Australia, the Royal Australian Navy and Australian defence science organisations. * BlueSentry(R), a Next-Generation Autonomous Surveillance Capability which combines advanced thin-line fibre-optic towed array sonar technology with uncrewed maritime platforms. The facility is expected to create dozens of direct engineering and advanced manufacturing jobs in Western Sydney over coming years, as well as roles for its supply chain partners, contributing to national security and the protection of Australian fleets and defence personnel. Pat Conroy, Minister for Defence Industry, said: "Through this new co-invested manufacturing facility, Australia is strengthening national security, creating high-value jobs and establishing a sovereign centre of excellence for advanced acoustic systems that will support both Australian Defence and export opportunities for decades to come." Jeff Connolly, CEO, Thales Australia and New Zealand, said: "The capabilities developed and manufactured at Rydalmere demonstrate Australia's ability to deliver sovereign undersea warfare technology, including from the Collins Class submarine fleet of today to the Hunter Class frigates and autonomous BlueSentry(R) surveillance systems of the future. Thales Australia researches, designs and delivers high-quality sensors that return best-quality data, allowing for quicker and better decisions that relate to national security. These capabilities will be made and sustained here at home, to secure our nation."