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• Indra, the Spanish coordinator of the Future Combat Air System (FCAS), together with its German and French partners FCMS and Thales kick off at Indra’s new project headquarters a new phase in the development of an innovative suite of networked and distributed sensors, defensive aids and attack systems, denominated NSDAS.
• Designed to meet the operational challenges of the 2040s, this suite of networked sensors will be a game changer for the operational capabilities of the NGWS. During the initial phases of NGWS the three European leaders in sensor systems created a shared vision of the sensors suite to prepare the new and ambitious phase (Phase 1B).
• The collaborative and distributed cross-platform sensors architecture will boost the performances of every individual sensor and non-kinetic effector.
• This will provide the NGWS assets consisting of New Generation Fighters (NGF) & Remote Carriers (RCs) with a multiplicative effect towards the achievement of its mission goals.
Indra, the Spanish coordinator of the Future Combat Air System (FCAS), together with its German and French partners FCMS and Thales kick off at Indra’s new project headquarters a new phase in the development of an innovative suite of networked and distributed sensors, defensive aids and attack systems, denominated NSDAS. France, Germany and Spain, as NGWS Participating nations, have entrusted Indra as Prime, as well as FCMS, and Thales as Main Partners with the development of the new suite of sensors that will equip the platforms (NGF and RCs) of the NGWS. This development will cover the new generation sensors technology bricks and end-to-end design, with increased performance and functionalities. It will also result in undisputable air superiority in the challenging future operational scenarios by boosting sensor contribution, situational awareness, fire power, and survivability with a collaborative system architecture and services.
Based on the shared vision of a sensor suite for NGWS as defined during the previous Phase 1A, Phase 1B will initiate a wide range of ambitious functional, algorithmic and technological developments. It will consolidate the definition and architecture of the suite of networked sensors, as well as the critical components/building blocks of the RF and Optronics sensors for the NGF and for the different types of RCs. In order to support the NGWS Initial Operational Capability (IOC) in 2040 the development phase is expected to start in 2028.
The work carried out by these industrial sensor experts will also benefit from a close collaboration with the key industrial organizations of the wider NGWS program dedicated to the Combat Cloud, the NGF and the RCs.
The main paradigm shift in this next generation air combat system is the native implementation of a System of Systems approach at all NGWS levels, so that the capabilities of the whole combination of systems will be significantly higher than the sum of the individual assets. With regards to sensors, NSDAS natively implements such features based on the disruptive cross-platform collaborative approach.
A strong industrial and national joint effort will be the cornerstone of success for achieving the ambitious NGWS goals. The superiority of the NGWS within the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) will widely depend on the unprecedented ability of its sensors network to gather, process, and distribute information. FCMS, Indra and Thales common vision for the NSDAS solution is the basis for the success in this initiative.
The kick-off of the Phase 1B activities represents a very important milestone in FCMS, Indra and Thales firm commitment to keep working towards the joint development of the innovative NSDAS vision for the future NGWS.
About FCMS
With the German companies Hensoldt Sensors GmbH, Diehl Defence GmbH & Co. KG, ESG Elektroniksystem- und Logistik-GmbH and Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Co. KG, the industrial consortium FCMS concentrates essential core competencies of the national key technologies under one roof. FCMS (fcms-germany.net) offers a broad and well-founded national technology expertise for the FCAS/NGWS program and thus ensures the necessary national capability to contribute to, and future-proof the 6th generation mission systems.
CONNECTED SYSTEMS. COMBINED FORCES. JOINT INDUSTRIES.
About Indra
Indra (indracompany.com) is one of the leading global technology and consulting companies and the technological partner for core business operations of its customers worldwide. It is a world-leader in providing proprietary solutions in specific segments in Transport and Defence markets, and a leading firm in Digital Transformation and Information Technologies in Spain and Latin America through its affiliate Minsait. Its business model is based on a comprehensive range of proprietary products, with a high-value, end-to-end focus and with a high innovation component.
In the 2022 financial year, Indra achieved revenue totaling €3,851 billion, almost 57,000 employees, a local presence in 46 countries and business operations in over 140 countries.
About Thales
Thales (thalesgroup.com) is a global leader in advanced technologies, investing in digital and “deep tech” innovations connectivity, big data, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and quantum technologies to build a confident future crucial for the development of our societies. The Group provides its customers businesses, organizations and governments in the defense, aeronautics, space, transport, and digital identity and security domains with solutions, services and products that help them fulfill their critical role, consideration for the individual being the driving force behind all decisions.
Thales has 77,0001 employees in 68 countries. In 2022, the Group generated sales of €17.6 billion.
1. Excluding Transport business, which is being divested.
Press contacts:
Lothar Belz - Head of Public Relations FCMS
Tel.: +49 (0)731.392.3681 - E: lothar.belz@hensoldt.net.
Sergio Sánchez Benítez - Director of Communication and Media Relations, Indra
P: +34 630515876 - E: ssbenitez@indra.es.
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alice.pruvot[.]thalesgroup.com 
