Paris (France) (AFP) – French aerospace and defence group Thales said third-quarter sales and orders rose strongly as it benefited from higher European spending on weapons and satellite communication systems. Sales gained nine percent to 5.5 billion euros ($6.2 billion) during the quarter alone, while orders for the first nine months of the year were up 15 percent at 19.1 billion euros.
Key orders received during the period were to develop the next generation radar for France’s Rafale fighter jets, as well as for anti-missile systems. Thales also won orders from Eutelsat to equip satellites to be used in Europe’s Iris2 communications system.
“In the third quarter of 2026, Thales once again recorded solid growth in both order intake and revenue,” CEO Patrice Caine said in the earnings release. Thales said it is targeting revenue growth at the upper end of its 6–7 percent forecast range for 2026, with an operating margin of between 12.6 percent and 12.8 percent.
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© 2024 AFP
