French defence electronics specialist Thales is continuing to invest in Brazil, it announced on 15 April at LAAD 2015, as it unveiled plans to open an 'acoustic technology centre' in the coming months. The centre, which will operate under Thales' Brazilian subsidiary, Omnisys, will focus on the production of sonar systems. The aim of the initiative is to bring full self-sufficiency in sonar production to Brazil.

Thales acquired Omnisys in 2011, but has operated in Brazil for more than 50 years and employs 250 people in the country. News of its investment in sonar production in the country follows the announcement of a Thales Alenia Space/Omnisys 'space technology centre' in March 2015, established with the goal of encouraging the teaming of domestic companies in Brazil's space services industry.

Both of Thales' recent investments in technology development in Brazil are aimed at enabling technology transfer to the country and assisting it in developing its indigenous industries. Thales is marketing a wide range of defence electronics systems in the region, and in March 2015 Ruben Lazo, vice-president for Thales in Latin America, identified Brazil as a key focus of the company's emerging market-focused strategy.