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recently visited three facilities in Crawley, the heart of Thales UK.

Accompanied by Thales UK senior management based in Crawley, the MPs were given a briefing on Thales UK in Crawley and an overview of programmes undertaken at the sites that support both civil aerospace customers and the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD). These include the Watchkeeper unmanned air vehicle (UAV) programme, for which Thales UK is Prime Contractor, and a range of work for the Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft (AirTanker) programme, of which Thales UK is a key consortium member, and high technology Soldier Systems and equipment. The MPs also met with Trade Union representative from Unite.

During the visit the MPs were able to try their hand at flying and landing a civil airliner in a state-of-the-art Boeing 777 aircraft simulator at Thales' site on Gatwick Road.

Kevan Jones and Ian Davidson were given a tour of Thales' new Sapphire site where they received a briefing on the latest developments of this extensive investment and redevelopment of the Thales site on Manor Royal. A number of parts of the Thales UK business are represented at the Crawley site, across its aerospace, civil and defence business streams. As a result of acquisitions and mergers there are currently a number of buildings and offices in the Crawley area. This large-scale redevelopment is almost complete and will bring together all the Thales UK Crawley businesses on one site at Manor Royal, providing modern facilities for its 2,500 employees.

Kevan Jones, MP, who has a personal and constituency interest in defence industry activities, said: "Thales UK is an significant contractor to the MoD and an important source of high-tech, high-skill employment in Crawley. I am impressed with the new Thales site, which is an ideal facility to continue the work being undertaken here in Crawley bringing world-class, cutting-edge technological development to West Sussex."

This was Kevan Jones' second visit to a Thales UK site. Last year he visited part of the company's air systems business in Belfast.

During the tour of the aerospace business facility Ian Davidson congratulated members of the Watchkeeper UAV team on achieving the maiden flight of the Watchkeeper air vehicle on the 15 April, a major milestone that puts the Watchkeeper programme firmly on track for delivery in 2010.

Ian Davidson MP also has a personal a constituency interest in defence industry activities, being the local MP for Thales UK's Glasgow site. Both MPs enjoyed the opportunity to widen their understanding and knowledge of Thales UK.

The MoD is the main customer for Thales UK activities in Crawley, with local sites delivering equipment and services to the MoD since 1964.
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About Thales and Thales UK
Thales is a leading international electronics and systems group addressing defence, aerospace and security markets worldwide. Thales' leading-edge technology is supported by 22,000 R&D engineers who offer a capability unmatched in Europe to develop and deploy field-proven mission-critical information systems. To this end, the group's civil and military businesses develop in parallel and share a common base of technologies to serve a single objective: the security of people, property and nations. The group builds its growth on its unique multi-domestic strategy based on trusted partnerships with national customers and market players, while leveraging its global expertise to support local technology and industrial development. Thales employs 68,000 people in 50 countries with 2007 revenues in excess of £8.3 bn.

Thales UK employs 9,000 staff based at more than 50 locations. In 2007 Thales UK's revenues were over £1.2 bn.

Press contacts:
 
Thales UK
Kathryn Bell
Tel: +44 (0) 1932 824 948   
Mob: +44 (0) 7813 903 274
Email: kathryn.bell@thalesgroup.com

Thales UK, Aerospace
Karen Thomas
Tel: +44 (0) 1932 824 832
Mob: +44 (0) 7968 570 642
Email: Karen.Thomas@uk.thalesgroup.com