Thales Unveiled New DeepFinder Radar With a Range of 1,500 km

At the Eurosatory 2026 exhibition, the French company Thales unveiled the DeepFinder series of ultra-high-frequency (UHF) radars, designed to provide Europe with an independent early-warning solution against missile threats.

This was reported by FOB.

Two versions are available: DeepFinder Tactical (mobile) and DeepFinder Strategic (fixed). The DeepFinder Tactical is expected to more than triple the detection range for such threats.

It also allows for the early and accurate determination of the launch and impact points of enemy missiles—data that is crucial for missile defense. In addition, it is claimed that this radar is capable of detecting air targets equipped with stealth technology.

The mobile version is primarily intended as an essential complement to future SAMP/T NG air defense batteries. The current GF 300 fire-control radar does not have sufficient range to fully exploit the capabilities of the new ASTER 30 Block 1NT missile against complex threats, such as maneuvering ballistic or hypersonic missiles.

The DeepFinder Strategic, which appears to be a direct continuation of the Very Long-Range Radar (DRTLP) project, was developed by Thales and ONERA for the French Ministry of the Armed Forces in the 2010s.

While the mobile version has a detection range of about 1,500 km, the strategic version can reach 5,000 km with a 120° field of view.

This radar is marketed as capable of detecting ballistic, hypersonic, aerodynamic, and even space-based threats. Another variant, the DeepFinder Space (also known by the designation AURORE), is designed to detect, identify, and track satellites, as well as other space objects in low Earth orbit.

Regardless of the variant, the DeepFinder is based on a modular structure using UHF blocks — electronic modules currently under development. The software architecture allows for the expansion of this capability to include space surveillance, both in conjunction with satellites and autonomously.

“The DeepFinder radar is also equipped with a scanning frequency sufficient to detect any missile with a vertical trajectory, track its path, and calculate the missile’s point of impact if it is a ballistic missile, or track its hypersonic flight and, ultimately, determine its launch point,” says Eric Marto, vice president of strategy and marketing for Thales’ ‘surface radars’ product line.

According to the company, this is the first time three separate high-performance mobile radars have been successfully integrated via software to create a continuous coverage zone.

The political implications of the DeepFinder are hard to ignore. Early warning in Europe today relies heavily on American sensors and satellites. The JEWEL initiative, launched jointly by France and Germany in October 2025, aims to fill this gap by creating autonomous European capabilities based on a network of fixed and mobile speed cameras. The DeepFinder is one of the key elements of the European military autonomy project.