Daily news

Thales officially inaugurates new Connectivity Lab in Denmark to strengthen critical communication technology

Thales officially inaugurated its new Connectivity Lab in Ballerup, Denmark, developed in close collaboration with the Danish Armed Forces to advance critical communication technology.

The Lab will design and deliver products and services for the Danish Army and partner nations.

The inauguration underlines Thales' long-standing commitment to Denmark and supports the wider ambition of strengthening the Danish defence industrial base.

Friday 18th of September marked the inauguration of the new Thales Connectivity Lab in Ballerup, Denmark. The inauguration was attended by a number of key external figures, including member of Danish Defence Committée, Marcus Knuth, the Danish National Armaments Director, as well as management representatives from the Danish Defence Acquisition and Logistics’ Organisation’s (DALO) Land Division. The event also had official representation of the French Ambassador to Denmark, David Bertolotti, as well as the French Defence Attaché, Thomas Secher.

From Thales, Executive Vice-President of Secure Communications and Information Systems, Christophe Salomon, Vice President of Network and Infrastructure Systems, Alexandre Bottero, Vice President of the Northern & Central Europe region, Tommy Ayouty, and Country Director of Thales Denmark, Martin Søegaard, participated in the opening.

Developed in close collaboration with the Danish Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organisation (DALO) and the Danish Armed Forces, the Thales Denmark Connectivity Lab will integrate products and develop services within critical communication technology in close collaboration with the customer. The Lab enables Thales to deliver operational capabilities in very short time frames while scaling up from lab experiments to battlefield-ready capabilities, in step with users’ timelines and real conditions, to support the needs of the Danish Army.

As an innovative trusted partner, Thales also supports the integration of assets selected by the Danish Armed Forces, including legacy systems so that different components work together effectively to guaranty connectivity on the battlefield. This approach supports the ambition to develop local competencies while transferring critical technology and know-how to Denmark’s defence industrial base, and gives Thales the opportunity to offer bespoke solutions, based on real customer feedback and operational constraints.

Beyond its immediate application, the Connectivity Lab holds the potential for national growth into other domains, as well as export opportunities to partner countries, further contributing to the ambition of strengthening the Danish defence industrial base.

Thales has been present in Denmark since 1973. Across the Kingdom of Denmark, including the Faroe Islands and Greenland, the Group provides innovative solutions and advanced technologies in Defence, Civil Aviation, and Cyber & Digital, including banking and biometric solutions. Thales today employs 100 people at its headquarters in Ballerup and in Lyngby.

Martin Søegaard, Country Director, Thales Denmark, said: ”The inauguration of the Thales Denmark Connectivity Lab is a significant milestone for Thales in Denmark. Working hand in hand with the Danish Armed Forces, we are strengthening our ability to support our customer locally while building the foundations for future growth. This investment reflects our long-term commitment to Denmark and to the Danish defence industrial base.”

Colonel Thomas Øgendahl Knudsen, Director of Land Systems Division, Danish Ministry of Defence, DALO said: ”The establishment of a Connectivity Lab is a key element of the strategic partnership agreement between the Danish Armed Forces and Thales Denmark, which covers the delivery of operational digital communication systems. Today operational communication systems and digital networks are highly advanced and complex by nature, and this places equally high demands on access to advanced test facilities. The Connectivity Lab gives the Danish Armed Forces access to such a facility locally, in Denmark, where several systems are developed and integrated.”