France's Thales chosen to equip new British frigates

France's Thales said on Thursday it had been selected to provide the mission systems of Britain's five next-generation frigates, a programme worth more than a billion pounds ($1.3 billion) in total. "Thales will be the mission systems integrator for the Type 31 programme, delivering the combat system, communications systems, and the navigation and bridge system", Europe's largest defence electronics maker said in a statement.

A source close to the matter said Thales' share of the programme, led by British engineering group Babcock International, would be around 20%.