Securing our nation's security

We build trusted identities and ensure secure borders to protect the public and safeguard critical assets in an ever-evolving threat landscape.

Secure and Trusted Identity

Threats to national security have never been more complex or interconnected. The UK faces a shifting landscape of risks — from organised crime and terrorism to sophisticated cyberattacks and the challenge of protecting critical national infrastructure. Safeguarding borders, securing citizen identities, and preserving the integrity of essential public services are not just operational priorities — they are fundamental to public trust and national resilience.

At Thales, we believe a safer, more sustainable world begins with a secure and trusted identity for every individual. This vision drives our work with governments, public authorities, and private organisations, delivering advanced identity and biometric solutions that underpin civil identity and public security.

We design and issue highly secure physical and digital identity documents — passports, ID cards, and driver’s licences — forming the backbone of national identity programmes. These are supported by robust systems for identity verification and enrolment, enabling accurate authentication at borders, in public services, and across digital platforms.

By capturing and integrating both biometric and biographic data, we help authorities maintain the highest standards of identity assurance. This strengthens border security, combats identity fraud, and empowers organisations to protect citizens from online crime. Every solution is built on deep expertise in biometrics and reinforced by cutting‑edge cybersecurity technologies — ensuring sensitive personal data remains protected while enabling a seamless, trusted user experience.

In a world where threats evolve daily, the integrity of identity remains a cornerstone of national safety — and Thales is committed to keeping that cornerstone unshakeable.

Protecting the Public

Security threats are no longer confined to a single domain. From organised crime and terrorism to cyberattacks and the protection of critical infrastructure, the UK faces a constantly evolving risk environment. Safeguarding citizens, securing identities, and ensuring the resilience of essential services are fundamental to public trust and national stability.

Thales equips law enforcement and public agencies with the tools to act decisively. Our Evidence and Investigation Suite accelerates the processing of high‑resolution biometric data, while mobile biometric technology enables rapid suspect identification in the field. Secure, mobile access to classified police databases ensures officers can make informed decisions wherever they are, and advanced firearms training prepares teams for the most critical scenarios. Our lawful intercept solutions provide the intelligence needed to disrupt organised crime and counter terrorism.

Beyond policing, we deliver advanced protection systems for both civil and governmental environments. These span surveillance, early warning, emergency response, and integrated command and control — enhancing public safety and resilience. Whether it’s urban security, crowd management, crisis response, or critical asset protection, our technologies combine real‑time situational awareness, robust communications, advanced sensors, and intelligent analytics to help agencies anticipate threats, coordinate rapid responses, and maintain essential services.

From safeguarding large venues like football stadiums to transforming surveillance data into actionable intelligence across agencies, our approach is proactive and interconnected — uniting biometric expertise, cybersecurity innovation, and intelligent analytics to protect communities, combat crime, and save lives.

Secure Borders

In an age of unprecedented global movement, governments must balance openness with security — facilitating legitimate travel while protecting national interests. Borders are no longer just physical lines; they are complex gateways where identity, data, and security converge.

Thales’ eBorder solutions give governments the tools to meet this challenge head‑on. By capturing and enrolling both biometric and biographic data, we issue secure physical and digital visas, as well as Electronic Travel Authorisations, enabling travellers to move efficiently from check‑in to boarding. Our biometric eGates ensure only authorised individuals’ cross borders seamlessly, while world‑leading cybersecurity safeguards sensitive personal information.

Beyond the traveller experience, our systems provide real‑time situational awareness for border agencies. Advanced technologies — from biometric verification and real‑time traveller data analysis to interoperable border management platforms — enable authorities to verify identities, assess risks, detect threats, and respond decisively. Intelligent monitoring tools transform vast streams of surveillance data into actionable intelligence, optimising the deployment of Home Office assets and enhancing collaboration across agencies.

By integrating identity verification with secure data‑sharing capabilities, Thales strengthens border security while improving convenience for legitimate travellers — creating a border environment that is fast, seamless, and lawful.

Protecting Critical Assets

National resilience depends on safeguarding the UK’s most vital assets — from power grids, transport networks, and government buildings to major events and bustling city centres. In an era of evolving threats, protection must extend across both physical and digital domains, ensuring critical infrastructure and supply chains remain secure, compliant, and resilient by design.

Thales enhances system resilience by securing IT and Cyber‑Physical Systems — including building management, industrial control, communication, and sensor networks — through advanced monitoring technologies such as digital shadows and twins. These tools track performance, detect anomalies, and enable proactive responses before issues escalate. Supported by advanced threat intelligence and real‑time intrusion detection, our solutions safeguard data integrity with strong digital identities, biometric and multi‑factor authentication, and protection for data at rest and in transit.

Our UK Cyber Resilience Centre in Ebbw Vale provides operators with facilities to test infrastructure, train staff, and conduct simulated attack exercises. Specialised monitoring and response capabilities extend protection to undersea cables, pipelines, and other high‑value assets, delivering comprehensive security across diverse environments.

For operational security in the field, Thales deploys next‑generation surveillance and border management systems that integrate advanced document and biometric verification with real‑time traveller data analytics. These solutions prevent illegal activities, accelerate legitimate movement, and strengthen identity assurance.

At the heart of our persistent monitoring capability is the UAS100 — a long‑range uncrewed aerial system designed to the highest civil aviation safety standards. Equipped with advanced sensors and secure communications, it provides autonomous, day‑and‑night surveillance over vast and high‑risk areas, from critical infrastructure to border regions.

Imagine the silent patrol of the UAS100 safeguarding vital assets, while our secure identity systems and digital command‑and‑control networks fuse live data from sensors, border controls, and identity platforms into a single operational picture. This real‑time intelligence empowers agencies to anticipate threats, coordinate rapid responses, and protect communities — ensuring that in every domain, vigilance is constant and resilience is assured.