Thales has announced the signing of a contract with NSPA, for the acquisition of a ForceShield system by the Portuguese Army. This is a landmark contract, not only because it is the first signed for the benefit of the Portuguese Army by Thales, but also because it is the first ForceShield contract that Thales has signed with a European country. The contract is designed to strengthen Portugal's very short-range air defence (VSHORAD) capabilities.
ForceShield is Thales's air defence solution, designed to protect forces, citizens and critical infrastructure from an increasingly diverse range of airborne threats - from low-altitude threats such as Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) to helicopters, fighter ground attacks or cruise missiles.
ForceShield provides appropriate components to detect, coordinate, engage and neutralise threats. The contract includes a complete ForceShield Compact solution, with a Ground Master 200 air surveillance radar, a radio communications system, Air Defence command-and-control centre ControlView together with portable weapon allocation terminals. This air defence system includes as well RapidRanger vehicles with StarStreak high velocity Air Defence Missile and Lightweight Multirole Missile (LMM) anti-armour missiles.
The Ground Master 200 radar establishes tracks faster and keeps them locked for longer; hence maximising situational awareness for optimum engagement. This gives time to the ControlView to evaluate the threat, while allocating the appropriate firing units for air target engagement through each weapon terminal.
RapidRanger is a unique lightweight, vehicle based, highly automated system capable of delivering a rapid reaction response to air and surface threats. It will be fitted with StarStreak and LMM missiles.
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