Defence in Canada

Thales supports armed forces in maintaining a tactical edge with advanced technologies, solutions and services across the land, sea, and air domains. By integrating capabilities including cybersecurity and AI into proven systems, we help Canada’s defence forces gain and maintain operational superiority.

With a national footprint of defence activities, Thales works with more than 700 Canadian partners across its supply chain – many of which are small and medium-sized businesses. These collaborations foster innovation, support the delivery of new operational capabilities, and drive digital transformation in Canada.

Key figures

50+

years of supporting Canada’s defence industry

100+

Royal Canadian Navy vessels kept operationally fit and digitally sustained

10+

years as the Tier 1 supplier for the non-combat program of the National Shipbuilding Strategy

Our work

Our customers and partners around the world trust Thales to deliver a wide range of trusted defense solutions. Explore how we’re driving innovation in this market through the selected highlights of our work below.

Air Forces

Thales provides mission systems, avionics, and pilot technologies that support improved situational awareness and operational effectiveness for air forces worldwide. Under the Tactical Control Radar program, Thales, in collaboration with industry partners, leveraged its advanced C4ISR and systems integration expertise to deliver a fully modernized radar system to the Royal Canadian Air Force.

Land Forces

Thales is a leading partner in the delivery of the Canadian Army’s Land Command Support System and LC4ISR services programs. Together with our partners, we are delivering new capability to the Canadian Armed Forces to ensure the long-term evolution of the Army’s highly integrated command, control, and communications system. In addition, our unmatched thermal imaging solutions and counter-IED systems are the solution of choice for the Army and other NATO and Allied Forces.

Naval Forces

Our leadership of naval in-service support in Canada – combined with our decade-long delivery of electronic systems integration under the National Shipbuilding Strategy – have established Thales as Canada’s leading provider of naval in-service support and integration. By creating high-value jobs, strengthening the domestic supply chain, and driving economic growth through sustained innovation and collaboration under these programs, we demonstrate our long-term commitment to Canada.

Thales works alongside the Fleet Maintenance Facilities and with more than 170 Canadian suppliers to keep these fleets mission-ready and available. This includes supporting the entire AOPV fleet of six ships and more than 100 minor warship and auxiliary vessels.

Space Forces

Thales enables secure satellite communications, surveillance, and threat detection for our military and government customers. Our space-based defense solutions enhance situational awareness and help protect critical assets against emerging threats. Thales played a key role in launching the world’s first spaceborne search and rescue system under the MEOSAR contract, enhancing Canada’s ability to detect and respond to distress signals across land, air, and sea. In partnership with the Canadian Space Agency, we delivered and support advanced MEOLUT Next ground systems that reinforce Canada’s sovereign capabilities in space-based search and rescue.

Joint Forces

Thales delivers integrated defense solutions that empower joint forces to operate seamlessly across land, sea, air, and cyber domains — improving collaboration and driving unified mission success. We have been instrumental in sustaining joint force capability through our leadership in C4ISR and tactical communications — spearheading software development, integration, and long-term support for the Canadian Army’s Land Command Support System (LCSS) that enhances command, control, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance across multi-domain operations.