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World Defense & Security Industry News - Thales
 
 
Thales lands 10-year contract for French Air Force aircraft support
 
The French defence ministry's integrated through-life support structure for aeronautical equipment and systems (SIMMAD) has awarded a 10-year service contract to Thales worth 977 million euros (US$1bn), including 70 million euros for the firm order in 2017, for the integration of an optimised supply chain covering the procurement of aeronautical consumable items to the French Forces (LORCA programme). The LORCA service contract will be fully operational in September 2017.
     
Thales lands 10 year contract for French Air Force aircraft  support 640 001Rafale fighter jet final assembly line
(Credit: Dassault Aviation)
     
Thales will put in place a supply chain organisation covering the procurement, storage and transportation of 200,000 item references to the 47 delivery points in the SIMMAD and SIAé networks in metropolitan France. Thales will ensure optimised management of flows by drawing up forecasting calculations, procuring aeronautical spare parts such as tyres, electronic components, cables, seals, etc., setting up an industrial stock and processing obsolescent items.

"The logistics IT system based on intelligent algorithms, and our partnership with the logistics provider Kuehne + Nagel, guarantee perfect stock management based on real consumption, that is adapted to the changing aviation activities of the Air Force, which can count on us to provide a flexible service at all times," said Marc Darmon, Executive Vice-President, Secure Communication and Information Systems, Thales.

Thales will contribute its expertise and solid experience regarding the aeronautical environment, airworthiness constraints and obsolescence management, as well as its control of dual, specially adapted central purchasing organisations.

Storage and transportation of aeronautical spare parts will be outsourced to Kuehne + Nagel, one of the global leaders in logistics, currently responsible for the European supply chain of consumable items for some of the major players in the aerospace industry. Recurring items will be dispatched to the various sites within 7 days and the service will be fully operational in September 2017.

Thales will use innovative, adaptable high-tech solutions, such as interconnected systems and big data analysis, to optimise deliveries and guarantee availability of the aeronautical parts stored in the state-owned warehouses.