Thales and Ritek Supercharge their Radar Partnership for Innovative Solutions

The Norwegian Defence Material Agency (NDMA) inked a contract with the Netherlands Defence Material Organisation (DMO) for five Thales Ground Master 200 multi-mission compact radars (GM200 MM/C) in May 2021. Ritek will undertake the integration of the counter-battery radars within vehicles.

Morten Minsaas, COO of Ritek, states: “Our partnership with Thales has progressed significantly over the past two years, starting from preliminary talks on integrating the artillery locating radar on a platform, to encompassing additional collaborations on forthcoming ventures. The projects we engage in are quite demanding and will facilitate Ritek’s further development as an integration collaborator for international OEMs within the defence sector, along with establishing a new business avenue for us.”

Nils Toverud, CEO of Thales in Norway, remarks: “Establishing a robust presence in Norway is crucial for Thales. We are thrilled to partner with Ritek, a capable and reliable ally, with a longstanding history of supporting armed forces and a solid commitment to quality and timely delivery – an outstanding partner, and we anticipate working closely together.”

Thales employs 300 professionals in Norway, providing advanced communication technology to Norway, NATO, and our allies, as well as a wide array of services and technological solutions, including transport, secure communication, passports, ID cards, and defence innovations.

When the Netherlands and Norway formalized the agreement for the counter-battery radars, Chief Investment Officer at the Norwegian Defence Material Agency, Rear Admiral Bjørge Aase, remarked: “This contract will equip the Armed Forces with a modern counter-battery radar boasting superior protection, mobility, range, and precision to be utilized in various national and international operations.”

Morten Minsaas, COO of Ritek, concludes: “We anticipate both financial and organic expansion alongside export opportunities resulting from our collaboration with Thales. If we triumph together, we foresee our workforce growing from the current 55 to nearly 70 staff members – a remarkable progression for a regional SME like Ritek. Thales will, through industrial cooperation efforts, provide Ritek with essential know-how and technology transfer. Through these efforts, Thales will foster a challenging and intriguing development environment for our personnel, as well as for the company as a whole.”