06/09/26
CNN MCO, Thales, and CS GROUP are involved in the modernization of the French Navy's amphibious helicopter carriers
CNN MCO is taking a new step forward in its role as a key player in the in-service maintenance (MCO) of French Navy vessels with the announcement of a strategic partnership with Thales and CS GROUP for the modernization of three amphibious helicopter carriers (PHA).
This partnership has given rise to a 100% French industrial consortium that has developed a new, highly resilient inertial navigation system, adapted to electronic warfare environments, under the project management of the Fleet Support Service (SSF). The first deployment has already been successfully completed aboard the Mistral in the second half of 2025.
Beyond maintaining operational readiness, this program demonstrates CNN MCO’s ability to manage complex modernization operations and support the technological evolution of French military vessels.
Strengthening the Resilience of Onboard Navigation Systems
As part of the operational maintenance contract awarded to CNN MCO in 2022 for a term of eight years, the teams are responsible for the overall monitoring of the onboard equipment of the French Navy’s three PHA vessels.
The objective remains the same: to ensure the ships’ availability at sea and their operational capabilities in an increasingly demanding strategic environment. But today, naval operational readiness is no longer limited to maintenance or repairs. It also involves anticipating obsolescence, modernizing critical systems, and integrating technologies capable of addressing emerging threats.
In light of hybrid conflicts and the growing risk of jamming to radio navigation systems, the French Navy is enhancing the autonomy and resilience of its ships. This partnership is part of that very strategy: to harness complementary expertise to ensure more reliable and secure navigation.
The TopAxyz inertial navigation systems developed by Thales operate independently of any external source thanks to onboard sensors capable of calculating the ship’s position, speed, and heading without relying on external GPS signals.
Proven reliability backed by over 40 years of expertise and 50 million hours of operation in demanding environments. By equipping its PHA vessels with this technology—which can detect jamming and decoy attempts—the French Navy enhances the reliability and autonomy of its navigation, even in the most sensitive areas.
CNN MCO at the Heart of the Deployment of New Systems
Within the industrial consortium, the inertial navigation systems developed by Thales will be integrated into CS GROUP’s overall navigation system.As the backbone of a military vessel, this system ensures precise positioning and safe maneuvering, even in complex maritime environments.
With over 15 years of experience, CS GROUP specializes in the integration of navigation sensors and the development of resilient, cybersecurity-compliant onboard systems.
CNN MCO, for its part, is responsible for integrating this new equipment on board, in compliance with safety requirements and existing infrastructure. Retrofit studies have already required nearly 1,500 engineering hours at CNN MCO’s in-house design office, in partnership with Thales and CS GROUP.
