Tacticos Combat System Ready for Royal Navy’s Type 31 Frigates
In September 2019, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) awarded Babcock International the contract to construct five Type 31 frigates (Inspiration class) for the Royal Navy. This contract was officially confirmed a few weeks later, totaling £2 billion, with £1.25 billion allocated to the prime contractor and the remainder distributed among subcontractors, including Thales.
Thales was selected to provide the TACTICOS combat management system for these future frigates, with the first unit, HMS Venturer, launched in June of the previous year.
To ensure operational superiority in all scenarios, TACTICOS integrates a wide range of capabilities—including radar, electronic warfare, and electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR)—at both the ship and fleet levels, supported by a globally recognized fire control system. Thales emphasizes that its unique human-machine interface (HMI) allows for the visualization of all critical operations on a single screen, transforming data from various integrated naval systems into actionable information.
On September 4, Thales announced that the TACTICOS systems are now ready for delivery to the Royal Navy, following successful factory acceptance tests (FAT).
Working as part of an integrated international team and in close collaboration with Babcock and the Royal Navy, Thales has completed all factory activities for this program, reinforcing its role as a trusted partner in providing complex naval systems to the UK.
The FAT took place at the end of June. The TACTICOS system involved integrates the latest software, which, according to Thales, will provide the Type 31 frigates with “exceptional operational capabilities.” This system enables the analysis of data collected by sensors, compiles images, assesses tactical situations, supports actions, and performs weapon control—key assets for ensuring operational effectiveness of such vessels.
With all FAT tests now completed, the program will proceed to land integration. The system will subsequently be installed aboard HMS Venturer, the first of the five Type 31 frigates being constructed at Babcock’s facility in Rosyth, Scotland.
The TACTICOS system has also been selected to equip the three Type 31 frigates (Miecznik class) ordered by the Polish Navy. In 2023, Thales celebrated the signing of a €400 million contract with Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa (PGZ) to deliver, through its UK and Dutch subsidiaries, not only its combat management system but also sonars, air surveillance radars, fire control systems, and 360° infrared sensors for these future vessels.
Photo: Thales