Thales deepens Rafale localisation with SFO Technologies radar contract

French aerospace major Thales has awarded Indian firm SFO Technologies a contract to produce complex wired structures for the RBE2 radar system used onboard Rafale fighter jets.

The RBE2 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar is an integral part of the Rafale jets manufactured by Dassault Aviation for the Indian Navy.

This first order marks an important milestone in Thales’ Make in India strategy for the localisation of advanced radar systems, which is expected to boost local manufacturing capabilities for critical Rafale sub-systems supplied to the Indian Armed Forces, the French firm said.

France-based Thales has been steadily expanding its manufacturing footprint in India as part of the government’s Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat initiatives. The company has built long-term partnerships with Indian defence and aerospace firms to localise high-end technologies, particularly in radar, avionics and electronic warfare systems. These efforts align with India’s growing focus on indigenisation of critical defence platforms, including the Rafale fighter fleet.

“Following the order of 26 Rafale aircraft for the Indian Navy, Thales, as a proud Dassault Aviation Rafale team member, continues to execute its ambitious localisation roadmap, partnering with the aeronautics and defence ecosystem in India,” Thales said on Monday.

It said the contract for the RBE2 AESA radar of the Indian Rafale reinforces SFO Technologies’ long-standing expertise and partnership with Thales across multiple major programmes.

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The scope of expertise delivered through this partnership ranges from precision machining and assembly and wiring to electronics, microelectronics and complex system integration, the company said in a statement.

“This partnership with SFO Technologies reflects our steadfast commitment to the Make in India initiative,” said Philippe Knoche, Senior Executive Vice President (Operations and Performance) of Thales.

“Through decades of strong local collaborations, we have consistently invested in building indigenous capabilities and fostering world-class expertise within the Indian ecosystem,” Knoche said.

He added that SFO Technologies has demonstrated exceptional innovation and reliability in every project Thales undertakes with the Indian firm.

“We are delighted to continue reinforcing our partnership, setting new benchmarks for quality and operational excellence in support of India’s self-reliance ambitions,” Knoche said.