Thales Group Company Profile, Products, Employees and Revenue
Thales Group is a French defence, aerospace and cyber-and-digital technology company headquartered at La Défense, Paris, best known for radars, missiles, avionics, electronic warfare and digital security. It reported sales of about €22.1 billion and employed about 85,000 people in 2025, according to its own results.
The state of France (26.60%) and Dassault Aviation (26.59%) were the two largest shareholders on 30 June 2025, per Wikipedia. Thales sells to armed forces and airlines worldwide, from Rafale sensors for France to LMM missiles for the UK, Ukraine and Spain, and Bushmaster armoured vehicles built by Thales Australia. Its H1 2026 order intake reached €12.5 billion.
What Does Thales Do?
Thales designs and builds sensors, weapons, communications, avionics and security systems. In its 2025 results the company reports three areas: Defence, Aerospace, and Cyber and Digital, the last covering the former Digital Identity and Security activity built around Gemalto. Wikipedia lists Thales Alenia Space as a subsidiary, and Thales signed a memorandum of understanding in 2025 with Airbus and Leonardo to combine space activities into one European player.
| Area | Focus | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Defence | Land, air and naval sensors, missiles, protected vehicles, ammunition | Ground Master radars, Sea Fire radar, LMM/Martlet, Bushmaster |
| Aerospace | Avionics and on-board systems for military and civil aircraft | Rafale sensors such as RBE2 and SPECTRA |
| Cyber and Digital | Data protection, identity, payments and secure connectivity | Gemalto-derived digital identity, Imperva |
How Many Employees Does Thales Have?
Thales said its workforce was 85,000 in its full-year 2025 results, published on 3 March 2026. Wikipedia lists 83,000, a figure from the previous reporting period. Thales Australia had roughly 3,800 employees in 2023, based mainly in New South Wales and Victoria.
Thales Revenue and Financial Results
Full-year 2025 sales were €22.1 billion, up 7.6% (8.8% organic), and adjusted EBIT reached €2,740 million, up 13.3%. Adjusted net income, Group share, was €2,005 million and free operating cash flow a record €2,577 million, according to the company. The first half of 2026 was stronger on orders: intake rose 21% to €12.47 billion, including 18 orders above €100 million each, per Baird Maritime’s report of the results.
| Period | Order intake | Sales | Adjusted EBIT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full year 2025 | — | €22.1 billion | €2,740 million |
| H1 2026 (to 30 June) | €12.47 billion | €10.95 billion | €1.37 billion (12.5% margin) |
The company raised its 2026 targets in July: book-to-bill above 1.1, organic sales growth of 6% to 7%, and an adjusted EBIT margin of 12.6% to 12.8%. Baird Maritime reports Defence sales grew 13.1% in the half, with a segment margin of 13.9%. The order book stood at €52.4 billion, up 5%, according to RTTNews.
What Are Thales’ Main Products?
The group’s catalogue is wide, so a few product families stand out for defence buyers.
| Product | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Master 200 / 400 | Air surveillance radars | Ground-based; the family is listed on Wikipedia |
| Sea Fire | Naval radar | Listed with the Search Master and Ocean Master radars |
| LMM / Martlet | Lightweight multirole missile | 13 kg, over 6 km range, laser beam-riding and other guidance modes; warhead 3 kg |
| RBE2-XG | AESA radar for Rafale F5 | Under development, same physical dimensions as the current radar |
| SPECTRA F5 | Self-protection suite for Rafale | Developed with MBDA France; fully digital |
| Bushmaster | Protected mobility vehicle | Built by Thales Australia; 1,300+ built by January 2025 |
The LMM entered Royal Navy service as Martlet in 2021 and has been used by Ukraine, which ordered more than 5,000 missiles, according to Wikipedia. India placed a $468 million order in October 2025. Spain’s Indra picked it for the navy’s SILAEM point-defence system, covered in our report on Indra and the Thales LMM. For the fighter side, France awarded the first Rafale F5 work on 10 September 2026, including the RBE2-XG radar and SPECTRA F5, as reported in our Rafale F5 contracts article.
What Is Thales Australia?
Thales Australia is the group’s local subsidiary, headquartered in Sydney. It grew out of Australian Defence Industries (ADI), whose control Thales gained in 2006, according to Wikipedia. It makes the Bushmaster and Hawkei vehicles and ammunition at Benalla and Mulwala.
| Country | Number reported |
|---|---|
| Australia | 763 in use |
| Netherlands | 102 operational |
| New Zealand | 48 |
| Ukraine | 120 donated by Australia |
| United Kingdom | 24 |
| Others | Japan, Indonesia, Fiji, Jamaica |
Thales History and Company Profile
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1893 | Founded as Compagnie Française Thomson-Houston |
| 1968 | Thomson-Brandt electronics merged with CSF to form Thomson-CSF |
| 1982 | Nationalised by the French government |
| 2000 | Renamed Thales Group in December, after privatisation in the late 1990s |
| 2006 | Took control of Australian Defence Industries |
| 2007 | Acquired Alcatel Alenia Space division |
| 2019 | Completed the €4.76 billion Gemalto acquisition |
| 2023 | Acquired Imperva for $3.6 billion |
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | La Défense, Paris, France (press releases are issued from Meudon) |
| Employees | About 85,000 (2025) |
| Sales | About €22.1 billion (2025) |
| Chairman and CEO | Patrice Caine |
| Main shareholders | French state 26.60%, Dassault Aviation 26.59% (30 June 2025) |
| Listing | Euronext Paris: HO |
| Business areas | Defence; Aerospace; Cyber and Digital |
Recent Thales Developments and Deals
Baird Maritime reports that Thales announced the acquisition of naval drone maker Exail for €3.9 billion, with completion targeted for the second half of 2027, and that the space combination with Airbus and Leonardo should complete in 2027. Both moves would reshape the Aerospace and Defence portfolios. Related coverage on this site includes Indra’s LMM selection and the first Rafale F5 contracts, where Thales supplies the radar and self-protection suite. See also our profiles of Leonardo, a partner in the space venture, and Saab.
Thales Group FAQ
Where is Thales headquartered?
Thales is headquartered at La Défense, Paris, France, though its results are issued from Meudon.
How many employees does Thales have?
Thales said it had 85,000 employees in its 2025 results, published on 3 March 2026.
What was Thales revenue in 2025?
Sales were €22.1 billion, up 7.6%, with adjusted EBIT of €2,740 million.
Who owns Thales?
On 30 June 2025 the French state held 26.60% and Dassault Aviation 26.59%, according to Wikipedia. The rest is listed on Euronext Paris.
What are Thales’ business segments?
Defence, Aerospace, and Cyber and Digital.
Does Thales make the LMM missile?
Yes. The Lightweight Multirole Missile is developed by Thales Air Defence in Belfast and is known as Martlet in Royal Navy service.
What does Thales supply for the Rafale?
Sensors and self-protection, including the RBE2 radar (RBE2-XG on the F5 standard) and the SPECTRA suite.
Who makes the Bushmaster?
Thales Australia, formerly Australian Defence Industries, builds the Bushmaster protected mobility vehicle.
- Thales – Thales reports its 2025 full-year results (3 March 2026), press release PDF
- Baird Maritime – Thales profit margins beat estimates as military spending surges (H1 2026, 23 July 2026)
- RTTNews – Thales H1 profit down, adjusted EBIT and orders climb
- Wikipedia – Thales Group; Thales Australia; Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicle; Lightweight Multirole Missile
- Defence & Tech – Indra Picks Thales LMM; France Orders First Rafale F5 Work
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