Lufthansa Technik Selects Thales for PEGASUS Program's Secured Audio/Radio Management System

Lufthansa Technik has selected Thales to provide the secured audio/radio management system for the PErsistent German Airborne SUrveillance System (PEGASUS) program.

Thales will supply its latest generation of secured audio/radio management system, designed to manage the communications of the flight deck and operators both internally and externally to the aircraft. This system adheres to German military requirements, offering security, weight savings and enhanced reliability compared to traditional technologies.

On June 5 this year, HENSOLDT, Lufthansa Technik Defense, and Bombardier Defense announced that the PEGASUS signal intelligence (SIGINT) system would be integrated into the Bombardier Global 6000 aircraft. The first of these aircraft recently completed modifications at Bombardier Defense's facility in Wichita, Kansas, while the remaining two are still undergoing modifications.

Bombardier was responsible for the foundational modification work package, and Lufthansa Technik Defense will complete the system integration at its special-mission center in Hamburg, Germany.

The PEGASUS program, valued at over one billion euros, involves the deployment of an airborne system for electronic signals intelligence on three Bombardier jets, based on HENSOLDT's "Kalætron Integral" system. This system collects and analyzes military signals from radar and radio systems. Since being awarded the contract in June 2021, HENSOLDT, Lufthansa Technik Defense, and Bombardier have collaborated closely on a joint design activity.

By the end of 2023, HENSOLDT’s overall mission system design had passed customer acceptance. Extensive structural modifications were performed on the first aircraft at Bombardier Defense’s U.S. base in Wichita, which will also host the initial ground and flight test activities. Following the completion of initial testing, each aircraft will be transferred to Lufthansa Technik Defense’s facilities in Hamburg for further integration work.

HENSOLDT, serving as the general contractor, holds overall responsibility for the realization of the PEGASUS project, while Lufthansa Technik Defense acts as a subcontractor, procuring modified aircraft from Bombardier and integrating HENSOLDT’s reconnaissance system into the platform.