- Thales ELT Naval EW Solutions will develop advanced naval electronic warfare technologies
- The JV will combine electronic support measures and electronic countermeasures portfolios
- The new company will target international export opportunities
ELT Group and Thales Defence Mission Systems have formed a 50-50 joint venture to expand their naval electronic warfare capabilities and pursue opportunities in the growing export market.
The new company, Thales ELT Naval EW Solutions, will combine the two defense technology providers’ expertise and product portfolios to develop advanced electronic warfare technologies designed to protect naval platforms and support operational effectiveness, Thales said Wednesday.
Who Will Lead Thales ELT Naval EW Solutions?
Under the joint venture’s initial governance arrangements, Matthieu Bouquet, appointed by Thales, will serve as chairman, while Gianni Maratta, appointed by ELT Group, will assume the role of chief executive officer.
The JV will offer customers a complementary range of technologies covering electronic support measures and electronic countermeasures.
Philippe Duhamel, executive vice president at Thales DMS, described the agreement as a milestone in the companies’ partnership and highlighted their shared commitment to expanding capabilities in advanced electromagnetic spectrum technologies.
What is ELT Group?
Headquartered in Italy, ELT Group operates in the electronic defense industry and has expanded into a multidomain portfolio covering cyber, space and biodetection technologies.
The company has contributed to major European defense programs, including Eurofighter Typhoon, Frégate Européenne Multi-Mission, or FREMM, and the PPA naval program. It also participates in the Global Combat Air Programme, an international initiative focused on developing a sixth-generation combat aircraft.
ELT Group also participates in European electronic warfare development initiatives, including the Responsive Electronic Attack for Cooperative Tasks II, or REACT II, program. In February, the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation, or OCCAR, signed a procurement contract with Indra, which coordinates the industrial consortium, for the program’s second stage. Thales and ELT Group are among the participating companies, alongside HENSOLDT and other European defense technology providers.
The new joint venture builds on ELT Group and Thales’ previous collaboration through SIGEN, a consortium established to support electronic warfare programs for the Italian and French navies. In November 2023, the companies announced that SIGEN had secured a subcontract from Naviris to modernize the electronic warfare systems aboard four Horizon-class frigates operated by the two countries’ navies.
The collaboration continued under the Horizon-class Mid-Life Upgrade program, with OCCAR signing a second contract amendment in August to advance modernization activities covering electronic warfare systems, radar, sensors and anti-air warfare capabilities. The program involves a broader industrial consortium comprising several European defense companies, including SIGEN.
ELT Group CEO and COO Domitilla Benigni said the partnership will build on the companies’ respective capabilities and technological strengths while extending their long-standing industrial and program collaboration.
What Other Thales Defense Initiatives and Contracts Highlight Its EW Portfolio?
Beyond its partnership with ELT Group, Thales has participated in several defense initiatives and modernization programs involving electronic warfare and naval systems.
In November 2025, Thales partnered with CNN MCO and CS GROUP to modernize navigation systems aboard three French Navy amphibious helicopter carriers: the Mistral, Tonnerre and Dixmude. The partnership involves integrating Thales’ TopAxyz inertial navigation systems to help maintain accurate navigation in environments affected by electronic warfare threats, including signal jamming and interference.
Thales is also contributing next-generation electronic warfare capabilities for France’s Rafale F5 fighter aircraft through its work on the SPECTRA F5 electronic warfare suite. The system is designed to provide enhanced threat detection and aircraft self-protection capabilities for the future Rafale configuration and its associated combat drone.
