Safran, MBDA take control of defense laser company CILAS
NewsNovember 03, 2022
PARIS, France. Safran Electronics & Defense and MBDA have purchased a 63% majority stake in CILAS, a French company that specializes in lasers for military applications such as counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS) missions, Safran announced in a statement.
Safran and MBDA made the purchase through joint company HMS Laser, which is equally owned by both firms. CILAS designs laser and optical products for both military and civil applications, the statement reads.
“Today’s weapon systems increasingly call on latest-generation lasers, and this trend is likely to continue," Eric Béranger, CEO of MBDA, said in the statement.
Safran CEO Martin Sion added in the statement that they will investigate "the possibilities of optical communications for both terrestrial and space applications."
The CILAS website indicates that their laser weapon can be used in C-UAS applications. Their website describes the Helma laser weapon offered by the company as a "compact design laser able to quickly and precisely neutralise an agile target i.e. Rocket Artillery and Mortar (C-RAM) and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (C-UAV)."
