Thales and Andrade sign alliance to market Bushmaster in Mexico

By José A. Quevedo

Famex 2023 will be the perfect scenario for Thales and Grupo Andrade to jointly sign a collaboration agreement to present and market the Bushmaster.

This multipurpose protected vehicle will enter the Mexican Security and Defense market.

Pascale Sourisse, Senior Executive Vice President of International Development at Thales, and Angel Mieres, President of Grupo Andrade, will be in charge of signing the agreement.

The Bushmaster is an 11.5-tonne 4×4 protected vehicle with a four-tonne payload designed to perform a variety of mission profiles.

Designed and built to protect up to ten passengers, the Bushmaster combines high ballistic and blast protection levels with excellent off-road mobility.

The Bushmaster has proven performance in protecting and saving lives during operations, with variants including troop transport, command vehicle, patrol, support, weapons deployment, and ambulance.

This is proven by its service in eight countries on four continents.

From this alliance, Thales intends to offer its global logistics support to meet the vehicle’s specific needs during its lifetime.

To this end, the support system will establish maintenance centers with local field service representatives and global spare parts shipment.

Grupo Andrade intends to contribute all of its business strengths, local presence, and knowledge of the regional automotive market to generate a synergy of great value that will allow a joint strategy to produce a vehicle tailored to the operational needs in Mexico and the region.

The agreement will also encompass industrial collaboration between Australia, France, and Mexico.

On this basis, Grupo Andrade will install the first production plant in the Americas to meet regional demand, confirming the alliance’s confidence in Mexico and its high-quality engineering capabilities.

The partnership will also offer Bushmaster’s customers a broad portfolio of mission-critical equipment and systems and extensive integration expertise.

It will provide solutions for a GVA (Generic Vehicle Architecture) compliant electronic architecture, enabling the latest technology to be capitalized on in the most cost-effective manner possible.

The systems offered include C41: Command, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence; Electronic Warfare (EW); and Counter Improvised Explosive Devices (Intelligence, Maneuver, and Protection).

“For Thales, it is key to have local partners with the experience, presence, and strength of Grupo Andrade.”

“The launch of this vehicle for the first time in Mexico has become a beneficial strategic alliance for both companies and, above all, for our customers,” said Pascale Sourisse.

THALES AND ITS AEROSPACE CONTRIBUTION

Famex 2023 will also be the forum where Thales will present innovations in air traffic management, coastal surveillance, air defense, defense, space, and naval systems at its stand in Hall C-117.

It will also showcase the best of its portfolio in the aerospace sector, widely adaptable to a market that is now at a key moment to define strategies to recover from the effects of the last pandemic and initiate new growth.

Thales has been a chosen strategic partner of the Mexican navigation authority Seneam for more than 58 years, providing the Topsky systems for the four air traffic control centers in Mexico (Mexico City, Merida, Mazatlan, Monterrey), the 12 approach centers, 23 of the 26 civil radars, as well as several navigation support systems.

It also supplies 100% of the Air Traffic Management solutions for the country’s air traffic control centers.

But not only in Aerospace and Defense.

Thales will also feature solutions for advanced satellite navigation systems, radio communication systems for special forces (Sotas), submarine and surface naval systems, and its renowned combat-proven multipurpose protected vehicle.

Further insight into Thales’ plans and developments will be provided by the three Famex presentations in which they will participate.

One presentation will deal with the achievements and successes of Thales and Seneam’s cooperation, which will take place on Thursday, April 27, at 3:00 pm in the auditorium of the French Hall C.

In addition, Thales is also invited by the Mexican Space Agency (AEM) to speak at its Industry Day GNSS (Global Navigations Satellite Systems), as well as at a round table on the same topic to be held on Thursday, April 27, from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm in Hall E at the AEM auditorium.

Finally, to discuss and reflect on the situation of women in the aerospace industry and to promote and strengthen personal and professional development, gender equality, and respect for the human rights of women, Thales Senior Executive Vice President of International Development, Pascale Sourisse, will participate in the opening of the Women in Aerospace Congress.

It will take place on Thursday, April 27, at 10:00 am, with a presentation on Women’s Leadership in Aerospace in France.

Nadia Gonzalez, Vice President of Thales Latin America and General Director of Thales Mexico, said, “This edition of Famex 2023 is special for us since France is the guest of honor. In the Aerospace sector, governments, airports, airlines, pilots, crews, and passengers rely on Thales to make flights safer, easier, and more efficient”.

“We do this by designing, delivering, and supporting the systems that keep our skies safe and operational.”

“With more than 58 years of presence in Mexico, the participation in Famex reinforces our local presence consolidating us as a reliable technology partner in the aerospace and defense sector, building a future we can all rely on,” she concluded.

With information from Infodefensa