Thales Group Selected for British FIST Program

Released on Wednesday, March 12, 2003

The Ministry of Defense of the United Kingdom has chosen the Thales company to carry forward the next phase of the FIST program.

Thales Optronics division, based in Glasgow, has won a contract to undertake detailed studies into the technologies required to meet the Birtish Army's needs under the FIST program. This contract is worth

£15 million and is to be completed in 2006.

The FIST program objective is to develop a computerized networked infantry equipment to meet the requirements of the battlefield of the future. The British FIST program is the US Land Warrior counterpart.

The British Ministry of Defense expects to release a Demonstration and Manufacture contract, worth some

£800 million, in 2006.

The first full infantry brigade equipped with the FIST objective system is expected by 2010.

The total value of the FIST program, production of 29,000 FIST systems and logistics support, is about £2 billion ($3 billion).

Thales anticipates FIST system export customers orders potentially could reach

£3 billion ($5 billion).