R&D is absolutely central to our ongoing success, creating products with the innovative and differentiating factors needed to ensure that we constantly outstrip the competition. The Group dedicated billion euros to its research activities in 2009, approximately 20% of its turnover.

An outstanding network of researchers

In order to innovate in cutting-edge sectors of engineering and technology, Thales calls upon a diverse community of researchers from the world's leading scientific circles, working in a matrix of decentralised networks.

This means 22,500 people are involved in R&D activities within the Group, across more than 80 operational sites in a dozen countries (including Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK and USA).

12,000 of our engineers, in particular, are specialists in software and critical information systems, giving Thales unique and unrivalled capacity for innovation in this field.

Five key R&D fields

• Electronics, electromagnetism and optronics
• Software and critical information systems
• Secured networks and communication
• Information and cognitive sciences
• Technologies for security

Research developed through partnership

The Group's R&D strategy relies on developing partnerships with other industrial and scientific organizations, both public and private:

• Thales is a major player in the competitiveness hubs that bring together industrial groups, SME technology providers and research laboratories in several countries (France, the Netherlands, the UK);
• Thales takes an active role in Europe's major research programmes across both the defence and civil arenas (Euclid, Eurofinder 7th Framework Programme for Research and Development, Eureka, European technological platforms).