Home » News » The Anglet SME is closely associated with Thales’s “Sonoflash” program, to develop and produce a new generation of acoustic buoys …

The Anglet SME is closely associated with Thales’s “Sonoflash” program, to develop and produce a new generation of acoustic buoys …

Founded in 1950 and specialized in radio communication systems for air traffic control and the navy, Telerad has unique expertise in France. And in particular in the military field, which is why it has withstood the current crisis well.


Scheduled for March 18, the visit of the Minister of the Armed Forces Florence Parly to the offices of Telerad, in Anglet, has finally been postponed. This visit should take place on the sidelines of the announcement of a new contract awarded by the DGA to Thales for the development, qualification and production of new generation air-dropping acoustic buoys. Indeed, Telerad will be a privileged partner of Thales in the execution of this contract.

Telerad obviously deserves a spotlight. First, this SME with 75 employees and a turnover of around ten million euros celebrated its 70th anniversary last year, and also the fiftieth anniversary of its first contract with the army of the air. This dynamic company with long experience now operates in more than 70 countries and generates more than 60% of its turnover from exports.


His speciality : ” the study, manufacture, commissioning and marketing of radio systems for air traffic control and the navy, both in the civil and military fields ».

In 2019, Telerad obtained from the Ministry of the Armed Forces the UAF label (“Used by the French armies”), rewarding its continuous efforts “ to allow the French forces to have the best equipment, operable in the most extreme climates, both in the sands of Mali and on board the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle ».


Beautiful market, new perspectives …

The SME has been working with Thales for a long time, and it is therefore not surprising to see it appearing among the principal partners of the “SonoFlash” program of the principal. According to the latter, the SonoFlash buoy should shine with ” an unbeatable performance-to-mass ratio leveraging decades of sonar and acoustic sensor expertise “. It will make it possible to track submarines from an aircraft, a frigate or a drone.

The secret of this new equipment? ” Today, buoys are either passive or active, and the SonoFlash buoy combines the best of both: an optimal low-frequency transmitter, powerful, and a passive receiver with a high gain in directivity. The combination of these two capacities associated with a significant endurance allows a great versatility of use of the buoy. », Explains Thales. As part of this program, the Anglet SME, chaired by Patrick Mariotte, brings its expertise in performance optimization, industrialization, qualification and delivery of prototypes. The start of delivery of these buoys is announced by Thales for 2025.


It must be said that this kind of tool is likely to be all the rage in the years to come, as Telerad emphasizes: “ While the submarine activity of the Russian naval forces returns to the level it had at the end of the Cold War, that of their Chinese counterparts is also increasing and that, in general, submarine operations tend to increase, with, in particular, a threat targeting telecommunications cables, anti-submarine warfare has become one of the main issues for navies around the world ».

This new market gives Telerad prospects, since the buoy can subsequently be sold for export to the allies of France.


The company has moreover withstood the health crisis well despite its roots in the aeronautics sector, like other players operating both in the civilian and military sectors and / or in other sectors. Thus, despite the difficulties related to health restrictions in the processing and receipt of orders, the level of these remained stable for Telerad in 2020. Something to see coming with a little serenity, pending the visit of the Minister armies… for good!

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