The FMS2 program is managed by Thales Avionics as prime contractor, in close cooperation with Smiths Aerospace. It will give the Airbus A320 and A340 families a real second-generation flight management system (FMS), incorporating all features needed to comply with the latest air traffic regulations, while boosting the aircraft's operability and performance. In short, the FMS2 gives both Airbus and the airlines a viable, high-performance system.

Delivery of the L2 version will lead to REV 1 certification for the A320, expected in the middle of the year, after the completion of flight-testing. All functions required for revenue service have now been integrated and qualified as flightworthy.

At the same time, development work is continuing on subsequent certification of an FMS2 standard (REV 2) for the Airbus A340 family. These achievements are a direct result of the joint commitment by Thales and Smiths to establish a solid position in the FMS market.

Thales Avionics, the European leader and world-renowned partner in avionics, electrical systems, and cabin electronics, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of THALES, a world leader in professional electronics for civil and defense markets.

Smiths Aerospace is the leading transatlantic aerospace equipment company, with half its 12,000 staff and $2 billion revenues in North America. Smiths Aerospace holds key positions in the supply chains of all major military and civil aircraft and engine manufacturers and is a worldleader in electronic systems, actuation systems, precision components and detection & protection systems.