Thales and ELI-NP Renew their partnership with a new maintenance support contract for the World-Class 10-Petawatt Laser System

The agreement marks a new milestone in a partnership that began in 2015, when Thales designed, developed, manufactured and installed the HPLS system at the ELI-NP research facility in Romania. Over the past decade, the collaboration has enabled major scientific and technological breakthroughs while establishing ELI-NP as a global reference in high-power laser research.

A Renewed Commitment to Performance and Availability

The signing of this contract reflects ELI-NP’s continued confidence in Thales’ expertise and its ability to ensure the long-term performance and availability of one of the world’s most advanced laser infrastructures.

Together, ELI-NP, Thales France and Thales Romania have achieved exceptional operational results. In 2024 alone, the HPLS system delivered more than 30 weeks of operation at 10 petawatts, with uninterrupted runs of up to 10–12 hours per day, providing researchers with a highly reliable platform for cutting-edge scientific experiments.

Beyond the achievement of the world-record 10-petawatt output, the partnership has also contributed to landmark technological successes, including the successful focusing of 10-petawatt laser pulses onto solid targets, a world first that demonstrated the extraordinary capability and maturity of the system.

Supporting ELI-NP’s Next Stage of Autonomy

The previous support contract covered a comprehensive scope including operations, training and maintenance, with Thales engineers working on-site alongside ELI-NP teams to support daily operations and facilitate knowledge transfer.

This new phase reflects the successful progression of ELI-NP’s operational autonomy. Today, ELI-NP operators are fully trained and equipped to independently manage operations, anticipate technical needs and execute procedures according to the highest standards.

The new three-year contract focuses on maintenance support and technical expertise. Thales teams, particularly those based in Romania, will remain fully mobilised to preserve system performance, provide expert assistance whenever required and support future developments of the facility.

Preserving Global Leadership in High-Power Laser Science

For Thales, the agreement demonstrates a long-term commitment to supporting ELI-NP’s scientific ambitions and maintaining the facility’s position at the forefront of global laser research.

“We are delighted to renew our commitment to ELI-NP through this new maintenance support contract. This agreement reflects the strength of a partnership built over more than ten years and a shared ambition to push the boundaries of laser science. Together, we have achieved world-leading results and demonstrated the exceptional capabilities of the HPLS system. Today, we are entering a new phase that consolidates these achievements by ensuring long-term performance, availability and technical excellence, while supporting ELI-NP’s growing operational autonomy and future ambitions.” Patrick Castaings, COO OME Business Line

Looking Ahead

This new contract represents much more than a maintenance agreement. It secures the operational continuity of a world-class research infrastructure, preserves access to Thales’ unique femtosecond laser expertise and lays the foundation for future scientific and technological advances.

As ELI-NP continues to expand its international research programmes, Thales remains a trusted partner, committed to supporting the facility’s performance, enabling future developments and contributing to the scientific excellence that has made ELI-NP a global benchmark in high-power laser research.