Thales Secures VASSCO Partnership to Elevate Air Surveillance Solutions

The French Ministry of Defence’s aeronautical maintenance directorate (DMAé) has granted Thales a ten-year contract under the VASSCO initiative to deliver ongoing support for the essential elements of the national air command and control system (SCCOA). Thales’s primary duties include:

• Performance-driven logistical support sustainability for the SCCOA system, aligning with the requirements of the French military forces
• Oversight and coordination of approximately 15 firms and entities engaged in logistical support for the SCOAA system, which includes CS Group and the French military aircraft maintenance service (SIAé)
• Provision of a comprehensive overview of critical systems performance and support planning to address the operational demands of the French forces

SCCOA encompasses over 700 intricate systems including air defence radars, control centres, ground-air communication networks, and information systems established at 125 locations across mainland France and overseas territories to identify and counteract aerial threats. The air command and control system is vital for airspace defence, empowering French forces to effectively execute their missions in both domestic and international operational theatres.

The VASSCO initiative is structured to tackle existing and future technological challenges while ensuring enhanced operational readiness of the system. It offers the French defence ministry’s aeronautical maintenance directorate (DMAé) three significant innovations:

• Integrated logistics management. A comprehensive technical and logistics platform will merge the support capabilities of the government and private sector to promote greater efficiency throughout the logistics support chain.
• Enhanced logistics support. Ensuring the effectiveness of logistics support solutions has become increasingly vital. Local inventories of components and consumables will be established at key government sites, alongside a 24/7 helpline to secure comprehensive logistics assistance and maintain or swiftly restore operational service.
• Data-informed logistics support. With a unified information architecture for operational logistics management, VASSCO will assure data accuracy and rapid information sharing with all participants in the logistical support network, ensuring digital continuity and facilitating predictive maintenance while elevating operational readiness and security.

“We are thrilled that the DMAé has reaffirmed its trust in Thales with this significant award. We will take on the responsibilities of primary contractor for the VASSCO initiative over the next decade and coordinate the entire network of government and industry partners and providers. VASSCO will ensure superior performance of the elements constituting the French military, a crucial component of France’s enduring air security commitment.” – Christophe Salomon, Executive Vice President Land & Air Systems, Thales