Executive interview: What it takes to become a Thales supplier

PARIS – For many Nordic companies, Europe's defence build-up has created a new opportunity: becoming part of the supply chains that support some of the continent's largest defence programmes.

But what does it actually take to become a supplier to a company like Thales?

According to Pascale Sourisse, Senior Executive Vice President for International Development at the french prime, the answer depends on one key distinction.

- It differs whether you are starting from scratch building up a completely new capability with a company or whether you're relying on an existing competence that needs to be ramped up.

Speaking to Defence Nordic at Eurosatory 2026 in Paris, Sourisse argued that there is a significant difference between the two approaches.

- If you're relying on an existing competence that just lacks the scale, it's easier, she said.

- You need to increase these production chains, but you're sure that the company already masters the technology.

Building new capabilities, however, is a different challenge.

- When you establish new competence in the market it usually takes time for the company to reach the right level of quality.

Quality comes first

For Thales, supplier development is not only about increasing production capacity. It is also about ensuring that suppliers can meet the quality requirements associated with advanced defence systems.

- We are obviously talking of sophisticated technologies, complex systems to produce, Sourisse said.

According to her, Thales is often directly involved in helping suppliers reach the required standards.

- It was important for Thales to get involved to help the supplier reach the right quality level.

The company has accumulated decades of experience in this process through offset programmes, localisation efforts and industrial cooperation agreements around the world.

Sourisse pointed to India as an example.

As part of offset obligations linked to fighter aircraft programmes, Thales worked extensively with local suppliers to help establish industrial capabilities and build a domestic supply chain.

- In the beginning it was challenging, she said.

- Now we have reached a level of quality and competitiveness that is excellent.

According to Sourisse, some of those companies have since become suppliers that Thales continues to use without any contractual obligation to do so.

- We are very happy to purchase from these Indian companies even now when we have no obligation to do so.

Offsets as a gateway

Industrial cooperation remains one of the ways companies can enter Thales' wider industrial ecosystem.

Asked about Denmark's recent SAMP/T NG air defence acquisition worth 1.47 billion euro, Sourisse confirmed that cooperation with Danish industry forms part of the programme.

- Yes, there is a cooperation plan with Danish companies. I can mention Terma as one of them.

She also confirmed that Thales expects to increase cooperation with Danish industry as the programme moves forward.

However, she does not get more specific than which other companies or types of companies Thales plans on working with.

According to Sourisse, such arrangements are increasingly common across major defence acquisitions.

- Systematically these large orders go together with an increase of direct participation from these countries in the defence field, she said.

- Either we localise additional activities in country, or we transfer technologies to partners and create joint ventures.

A growing need for suppliers

The discussion comes as Thales continues to expand production capacity across multiple business areas in response to growing demand from Europe and other regions.

According to Sourisse, the company has significantly increased output of radars, rockets and missile-related systems over recent years while also relying heavily on its supplier base.

- In addition to ramping up our own capabilities, we need to make sure that the supply chain is ready to supply at the right speed.

She noted that suppliers account for a substantial share of what Thales ultimately delivers to customers.

For companies hoping to become part of that supply chain, Sourisse's message was clear. The opportunity is there, especially as offset obligations increase across the Nordics. 

But entering the defence industry requires more than ambition alone.