Thales to Supply ForceShield Air Defense System to Portugal

Thales and the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) have signed a contract to supply the Portuguese Army with a ForceShield system.

This system is aimed at improving Portugal's Very Short Range Air Defence (VSHORAD) capabilities, in line with NATO's emphasis on enhancing theatre protection and defending against high-visibility airborne threats.

This is eThales' first ForceShield contract with a European Union country and part of Portugal's long-term Military Programming Law (LPM), which outlines the modernization of military equipment. The ForceShield solution provided includes a Ground Master 200 air surveillance radar, a radio communications system, the ControlView air defense command and control center, portable weapons terminals, RapidRanger vehicles equipped with Lightweight Multirole Missiles (LMM) and StarStreak effectors.

ForceShield is designed to defend against a wide range of airborne threats, including unmanned aerial systems (UAS), helicopters, fighters, and cruise missiles. The system can detect, coordinate, engage, and neutralize threats. The Ground Master 200 radar enhances situational awareness by establishing and maintaining trajectories, while the RapidRanger vehicles offer a rapid response to both air and surface threats.