Thales Optronics is a major unit of Thales Group and has three main subsidiaries, Thales Optronics Ltd. (UK), Thales Optronique SA (France) and Thales Optronics B.V.
Thales' optronics businesses in the UK are as a result of the acquisition of Pilkington Optronics. Pilkington Optronics was formed by Pilkington plc in 1988 to take control of the company's optronics businesses: Pilkington PE and Barr and Stroud, which was based in Glasgow. Pilkington PE later became Thales Optics Ltd., and – following divestment from Thales in December 2005 – now trades as Qioptiq Ltd.
In 1991 Thomson-CSF acquired a 50% share of Pilkington Optronics (PO). In 1995 PO acquired Thorn EMI Electro Optics which was renamed Pilkington Thorn Optronics (now Thales Optronics (Staines) Ltd). Three years later, Thomson-CSF purchased another 40% of PO from Pilkington and the remainder in 2000 to make it a wholly owned subsidiary. In 2000 Thomson-CSF was renamed Thales and Pilkington Optronics Ltd. became Thales Optronics Ltd. Soon after, Thomson-CSF acquired W Vinten Ltd, a British reconnaissance equipment manufacturer, including the Joint Reconnaissance Pod, who now operate as Thales Optronics (Bury St Edmunds) Ltd.
[edit] Products
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- Search and track
- IRST systems
- Self protection systems
- Laser range finders
- Sighting systems
- Reconnaissance systems
- Submarine Sensor Systems including the latest non-hull penetrating Optronics Masts systems, which replace conventional periscopes in some of the most modern submarine classes.
- Electro-optic aircraft reconnaissance pods and image exploitation stations
- AFV Fire Control and Navigation systems
[edit] See also
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