Thales weapons manufacturer to open third facility as UK put on war footing

Thales UK, the weapons manufacturer, is to open a third facility in Northen Ireland after the Prime Minister announced the firm will supply 5,000 Lightweight Multi-role Missile (LMM) systems and the final assembly of Saab NLAWs in a deal worth £1.6 billion.

Nigel MacVean, managing director for Thales in Northern Ireland, told assembly members at Stormont Economy committee on Wednesday over the plans for a third facility.

He told the committee members that the missiles have been sent from Belfast, Northern Ireland to the frontlines in Ukraine, these weapons are making a positive impact.

MacVean said the LMMs are “widely recognised as one of the key drivers in keeping Russian helicopters out of Ukraine”, while the NLAW “is widely regarded as being responsible for keeping Russian tanks out of Kyiv”.

He said that Thales UK employs 850 people in Belfast and over the next two years they are expecting to employ a further 200.

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He said, “We’ll expand our footprint from the two existing sites we have in Northern Ireland to a third site as well as part of that expansion plan.

“We’re at the moment just launching around £100 million worth of investment in our facilities, capital infrastructure in Northern Ireland.

“That’ll be largely undertaken by local companies.”

Last week Sir Keir Starmer made the choice to boost defence spending, putting the UK firmly on a war footing.

Starmer said that some of the foreign aid budget will be redirected to add an additional £13.4 billion a year into defence by 2027 and by 2029, he wants the budget to rise to 3% of the UK’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Starmer said at the time, “The whole approach to national security must now change.

“We will have to ask British industry, British universities, British businesses and the British people to play a bigger part,” he added.

“At moments like these in our past, Britain has stood up to be counted – it has come together, and it has demonstrated strength.

“That is what the security of our country needs now, and it is what this government will deliver.”

The DUP leader Gavin Robinson said of the missiles order, “It is a hugely significant order.

“It builds on not only the work that has been done to encourage defence contributions and spend in Northern Ireland, but it also recognises the significant contribution Thales has made to the ongoing efforts in Ukraine.”

He acontinued, “In fact, Ukraine would have fallen had it not been for the contribution from Belfast in the early phases.

“While international coalitions have increased and contributions have been made from a wide range of countries and companies, the Belfast contribution has continued to grow.

“It is of vital importance. To achieve a contract of £1.6 billion with 5,000 units and the encouragement for employment of 200 new employees at Thales is hugely significant indeed.”