The Changing Face of Military Services

At a time when the intensification of conflicts is increasing significantly, the speed of support and the anticipation of breakdowns have become more crucial than ever to ensure the operational readiness of equipment, and thus, the success of a mission.

From training to consulting as well as predictive maintenance, Thales is moving towards new service models based on the principles of partnership and contractualisation. Underlying all of this is data sharing and the essential digital security.

It is a shift which is already well under way – and one that promises to be critical for the success of missions in operational theatres. In the face of ever-evolving threats, the services associated with keeping military equipment operational must also evolve to achieve greater agility and speed.

This is a crucial issue.

The "Orionis" exercise, which recently brought together the ecosystem serving the French Air and Space Force, paved the way for the development of an Aeronautical Operational Readiness Maintenance (MCOA) tool, yielding significant gains in terms of responsiveness and precision. Thales was involved in this exercise, with teams both on-site and at various bases, to address simulated technical events. Thanks to our Smartfleet gathering our expertise in data collection and predictive maintenance, we were able to offer the forces the optimal combination of equipment for their mission. Anticipating needs, enhancing and securing data, as well as sharing data, are key success factors.

This is the main reason why Thales offers a wide range of solutions in this regard.

Our objective? To work closely with the armed forces to ensure the availability and longevity of equipment throughout its lifecycle, and to enable equipment management on the battlefield, particularly in emergency situations.

With combat systems increasingly relying on data and artificial intelligence (AI), maintaining a connection between operational forces on the ground and the industry experts who manage data security will become more and more essential.

Bringing this necessary connectivity to life, tablets developed by Thales can connect its experts with maintenance personnel in the operational theatre via an encrypted and secure connection. Using augmented reality (AR), these tablets help diagnose problems with equipment and facilitate remote troubleshooting by providing access to documentation or enabling the ordering of spare parts in real time. Additionally, AI-powered conversational agents and embedded knowledge enhance the training of military personnelto identify system faults. Finally, algorithms are also a valuable tool for optimising logistics in wartime, ensuring the availability of components in the right place, at the right time.

A prime example of the service models provided by Thales is VASSCO (Verticalisation of SCCOA Support), the "verticalised" availability contract entrusted four years ago to Thales by the Aeronautical Maintenance Directorate (DMAE) of the French Ministry of Armed Forces. The objective: to support the Air Command and Control System (SCCOA) – consisting of numerous radars and networks to monitor airspace and coordinate ground-to-air defence – which was particularly important during the sporting events in Paris in 2024. Under this contract, Thales coordinates around fifteen industrial partners to implement SCCOA support, ensuring that all communication and network systems are operational, optimising spare parts delivery times, and aiding in the maintenance of various systems.

This is how the approximately 10,000 employees responsible for services within Thales are gearing up to maintain equipment availability, in a relationship with clients that goes beyond simple on-demand service, and is increasingly moving towards medium- and long-term managed services.

This enhanced anticipation of support for our clients will be illustrated by the demonstration of predictive maintenance technologies and services at the 2025 Paris Air Show.