Cisco has entered into a partnership with Thales, a global technology leader with a unique capability to provide equipment, systems solutions and services that meet the most complex security requirements for defense and security, aerospace and transportation markets to address the global defense and security market.

The new agreement will combine Thales' global industry expertise with Cisco networking and communications innovations, expand the collaboration globally and accelerate joint go to market activities and solution development. The expanded collaboration is built on a long standing relationship between the two companies in the European market.

The Cisco-Thales collaboration will encompass a number of strategic initiatives, that includes development of Thales solutions based on a range of Cisco technologies jointly addressing key defense and security market opportunities such as mobile routing or broadband evolution of radio networks and joint go to market activities, closely coordinated at both global and country level.

Cisco will provide Thales with an extensive range of standard networking equipment and infrastructure, complemented by industry leading networking design and engineering expertise from Cisco Services.

Cisco will also utilize its rigorous sales and technology training programs, such as Cisco Sales Expert and Cisco Vertical Solutions Architect, to enable Thales global sales and engineering teams.

Thales will become a Cisco Global Specialty Integrator, allowing Thales to embed Cisco technologies into its own systems and solutions in all geographies, where a strong resilience and high quality of networking services is required.

The designation will also enable Thales to partner directly with Cisco globally and resell select networking technology and collaborate in the development of new solutions.

"This will be a hugely valuable long-term collaboration for both businesses. Combining Thales' specialist industry expertise and advance integration capabilities with Cisco's world-leading networking knowledge and technology will allow us to develop and deliver genuinely innovative security solutions to our customers worldwide", said Jean-Michel Lagarde, senior vice president in charge of Systems Activities, Thales Communications & Security.

"By working closely together, both companies will be better placed to address existing opportunities within the industry and create the new solutions that will help deliver competitive advantage and drive new market opportunities across the defense, security and aerospace industries", commented Chris Dedicoat, president, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Russia, Cisco.