PARIS, Aug. 11 (UPI) -- Thales is to provide the U.S. Air Force with deployable instrument landing systems for use at tactical airfields for precision guidance of aircraft.

The commercial-off-the-shelf D-ILS system to be delivered is based on the company's ILS 420 solution, a fixed-based, dual-frequency ILS.


Under the contract, Thales will deliver two production representative units, along with provisional technical documentation, training development and conduct materials, system analysis, architecture and engineering, and contractor support.

The Air Force, Thales said, plans to eventually purchase as many as 38 systems.

"With Thales D-ILS, the U.S. Air Force will receive an easily supportable, adaptable and resilient precision approach capability that all joint, coalition and civil ILS-equipped aircraft will be able to use worldwide," said Alan Pellegrini, president and chief executive officer of Thales USA.

The announcement by the Thales Group in France provided no information on a delivery schedule for the deployable instrument landing systems or their cost.