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The Radio Navigation side dates back to the Second World War, when FACE (Electrical Communications Equipment Factory) as it was then, supplied the Italian armed forces with radio transmission systems. Recovering a radio navigation system left by the American Navy at the port of Genoa, studying it and then reconditioning it technologically, alongside air transport establishing itself for civilian use, marked the start of the area of business that still today sees Thales holding 70% of the global market.

Following its sale by the ITT shareholder to the French group Alcatel, the “radio line” was transferred from the historic Milan site to the Alcatel Telettra site in Vimercate and, following the sale of the business area to the Thomson CSF group, to its current location in Gorgonzola.

The international characteristic of the business, in terms of both the market and contributions from the German and American subsidiaries, along with increasingly aggressive competition, made continuous reorganisations, optimisations and technological updates for the products necessary and the Gorgonzola site is now a global manufacturer of the most complete and modern catalogue of traditional radio navigation systems, as well as a centre of excellence as regards both radio frequency design and new ground Surveillance and Air Traffic Control systems: today, worldwide, one in two aeroplanes flies and lands thanks to the systems manufactured in Gorgonzola.

The Gorgonzola site, just next to the Naviglio della Martesana, today confirms its position as an international centre of technological skill, able to take on the continuous challenges from the market and hold on firmly to global leadership.