Thales UK got $3 billion order in 2008

Thales UK had an exceptional year in 2008, especially in terms of winning business. Overall UK order intake for UK customers and the export market was more than £2.4 billion($3 billion) - the most successful ever in Thales UK's history. Thales UK's largest contracts included the Aircraft Carrier programme (£425 million) and the Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft programme (£285 million). Additional order intake associated with Piccadilly Line upgrade and contract changes on the Jubilee and Northern lines (approximately £250 million), the Air Defence Availability Project (more than £200 million), and work on the Manchester Metrolink (£82 million) also made major contributions to our order intake. We also delivered direct support to our Armed Forces in frontline operations through several key Urgent Operational Requirement contracts. In addition British Airways has agreed a multi-million pound deal for Thales's in-flight entertainment system to be installed on its new delivery aircraft and next-generation aircraft. This will be delivered in partnership between Thales North America and Thales UK. These achievements have strengthened Thales UK's order backlog to more than £4 billion. We are still recruiting across many areas of the business. For example we have just launched an initiative in Northern Ireland to recruit 40 new employees at our Belfast site. In terms of graduate recruitment, in 2007 we took on 82 graduates; in 2008 we took on 114 graduates; and in 2009 we will take on 117 across all areas of the business.