Thales’s Ground Fire Radar enters full series production

As the West rearms, it is focused on the problem of air defence. Many orders have been placed for new systems, leading to increased production of things like the Ground Fire radar. However, unless they are backed up by healthy stocks of interceptors, it will make no difference.

The new Ground Fire air surveillance and air defence radar from Thales has officially entered full series production, a significant milestone following the successful conclusion of factory acceptance tests (FAT) witnessed by representatives from the French Armament General Directorate (DGA).

The ramp-up began at the start of 2025, marking a key step in equipping the French version of the next-generation Franco-Italian SAMP/T NG system—the European Medium- and Long-range air defence system. Thales has committed to delivering eight Ground Fire radars to the French armed forces starting in 2026, the company said in an October 3 press release.

This continuous series production signals a major expansion of Thales’s industrial capacity, which saw the firm triple its production of surveillance and air defence radars in 2024. The company is racing to meet the urgent and growing demands of protecting European airspace and national sovereignty.

The Ground Fire will serve as the fire control unit within the SAMP/T NG, replacing the older Arabel radar used in the existing SAMP/T system. Its introduction is expected to maximise the performance of the next-generation ASTER 30 missiles.

The programme is supervised by the Organisation for Joint Armament Co-operation (OCCAR) for the French Armed Forces Ministry and the DGA. Eurosam is the prime contractor for the overall system, with Thales supplying key components, including the fire control unit built around the Ground Fire radar.

Eric Huber, Vice-President for Surface Radars at Thales, emphasised the strategic importance of the production ramp-up. “The Ground Fire, designed and produced in Europe, will contribute to a robust European air defence system,” he stated. “We have implemented all the necessary processes to accelerate industrial production, tripling radar production in our factory in Limours from 2022 to 2024… to ensure swift on-time delivery to contribute to air surveillance and air defence of European nations.”

Ground Fire, a ‘game changer’ in airspace protection?

Thales touts the Ground Fire as being a “real game changer,” boasting capabilities designed to counter the most modern air threats. It offers a 400 km surveillance range and provides 360° coverage and a full 90° of elevation. The system’s performance is underpinned by digital multiple beamforming Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) technology operating in the S-band. This allows for high-performance detection, tracking, and classification of numerous targets, even in complex and challenging operational environments such as mountainous regions or densely crowded airspaces, Thales states. Crucially, the radar provides a one-second refresh rate and is designed to detect threats ranging from small, low-flying drones all the way up to ballistic missiles, all while maintaining the mobility of a tactical radar unit. 

However, it is worth noting that radars like the LTAMDS are also coming online to replace the sectoral radar of the Patriot with a 360° capability. The EL/M-2084 radar used by Israel’s David’s Sling also provides a 360° capability and can be electronically steered within a 120° sector for fire control or more granular detection. EL/M-2084 is thought to have a range of 470 km when detecting aircraft while LTAMDS is said to exceed the range of existing radars. The AN/MPQ-65 has a range of around 180 km for fighter aircraft detection, which suggests that this is also possible for LTAMDS. So, the Ground Fire radar is a good and useful addition to Europe’s air defence, but it arguably brings the SAMP/T NG up to the standard of other modern air defence systems. Because of this, it is likely game changing for France, when compared to the previous Arabel radars, but not necessarily for the wider field of air defence. 

Calibre comment

The West is rearming in the hope that it can deter Russia from starting a direct military conflict with NATO. This has several aspects to it, but the procurement of air defence systems is a major factor as it is clear that Russia would use its long-range strike capabilities extensively. However, more air defence systems are meaningless without a considerable increase in interceptor production and procurement. Magazine depth is pretty much the most critical factor for air defence. Omnidirectional surveillance has also been identified as critical (read about that here: Air and Missile Defence: Lessons from Ukraine and Israel), but without interceptors, better radars just provide the defender with a more accurate picture of how badly they are losing.

By Sam Cranny-Evans, published on October 6, 2025. The lead image shows the Ground Fire radar. Credit: Thales.