The announcement was made during a ceremony attended by Francois-Xavier Boutes, Country Director of Thales Malaysia, and YBhg Datuk Lokman Hakim bin Ali, Secretary General of the Ministry of Defence, and witnessed by Defence Minister YB Dato’ Seri Mohamed Khaled bin Nordin. These radars, which have a detection range of 515km, are intended to significantly enhance Malaysia’s situational air awareness and air defence capabilities.
Thales will continue its partnership with the Weststar Group to deploy the radars, aligning with RMAF’s operational requirements. The company will also implement a Transfer of Knowledge and Train-the-Trainer programme under the Industrial Collaboration Programme (ICP), aimed at increasing local expertise in radar maintenance and supporting operational autonomy.
“Thales is proud to support Malaysia’s air sovereignty and deepen its long-standing partnership with the RMAF, which began with the first GM400 radar delivered in 2009,” said Francois-Xavier Boutes. To date, more than 270 Ground Master radars have been delivered globally, underlining the maturity and reliability of the technology.
In a move to strengthen radio communications capabilities, Thales signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with local defence partner ADS Sdn. Bhd. The MoU, signed by Brig Gen Dato’ Abdul Hadi bin Abdul Razak (R) of ADS and Nicolas Bouverot, VP of Thales Asia, outlines plans for joint development of digital technologies for tactical and handheld radios.
Further extending its footprint in Malaysia’s security sector, Thales will also provide a Reality-H AW139 Full Flight Simulator to the Royal Malaysian Police (RMP). The contract, signed in the presence of Pascale Sourisse, CEO of Thales International, and local partner Novatis Resources, marks Thales’ first engagement with the RMP.
The simulator, which meets the highest Level D qualification standards, will be used for pilot training at the Police Air Wing Training Academy and other agencies including the fire brigade and coast guard. It offers immersive and realistic training tailored to Malaysian operational environments.
To support these expanding activities, Thales has appointed Florian Riou as Country Director for Malaysia and Brunei, effective 1 July 2025. Riou, who brings nearly two decades of experience in foreign trade and compliance, has been with Thales since 2017, most recently serving as Group Trade Compliance Director.
Thales’ continued investment and collaboration reflect its strategic role in Malaysia’s defence modernisation. With stable economic growth and increasing focus on military readiness, Malaysia’s partnership with Thales is expected to grow stronger in the years ahead.
