CILAS

CILAS is a French laser and optronics company founded in 1966. It is a pioneer of lasers in France and a long-standing supplier to the armed forces. It supplies equipment and systems for the defence, security and space sectors to major international players.

Its laser work covers neutralising threats with power lasers, through the HELMA laser weapon product line. It also makes the DHY and ALADEM laser designators used for guiding ammunition. For space, CILAS supplies optical amplifiers for laser communications, and it takes part in major scientific programmes such as the Laser MegaJoule.

In optronics, CILAS offers optical coatings, correction of the deformation of optical beams with adaptive optics, and detection of hostile observation systems. Its products are designed for highly constrained environments.

The company relies on a multi-discipline design office, its own production team and a sales network. It also works with an academic network and with small and large industrial partners. CILAS is involved in the whole product life cycle, from fundamental research to maintenance in operational condition.

CILAS has three site locations in Orléans, Aubagne and Le Barp, and it reports about 225 employees, of whom 60 percent are engineers. Its clean room in Orléans covers 1,102 square metres. It has an integrated management system certified to ISO 9001 and ISO 14001.

Its stated vision, Laser and Beyond, aims for CILAS to be the European leader in lasers for defence, security and space by 2030. The company describes itself as a human-scale company that contributes to the sovereignty of France and its allies. It follows an operational excellence approach and invests in its teams.

Services

• Laser weapon systems (HELMA)
• Laser designators (DHY and ALADEM)
• Optical amplifiers for laser communications
• Optical thin-film coatings
• Adaptive optics
• Hostile observation detection
• Laser MegaJoule programme support
• Maintenance in operational condition