ANIMEE recently visited the facilities of our member Thales Portugal in Paço de Arcos, to gain first-hand insight into the activities of one of the world’s leading groups in Defence, Space, Aeronautics and Cybersecurity. Thales Portugal plays a strategic role in the national technology ecosystem, with highly specialised engineering centres, a Security Operations Centre (SOC) and a significant presence in the space domain, notably through the Santa Maria Teleport in the Azores. From air defence systems to air traffic control, as well as space infrastructure and digital security solutions, Thales technology is present in areas critical to the functioning and security of the country. Also noteworthy is the company’s investment in national talent and the strengthening of skills in future-oriented areas such as Artificial Intelligence, Data Analytics and Cybersecurity. A special thank you to Daniela Pinto Correia, Director of Human Resources, and Pedro Nunes, Director of Marketing and Communications, for their warm welcome and for sharing their knowledge. ANIMEE reaffirms its commitment to promoting engineering, innovation and national technological capabilities, which are essential to strengthening Portugal’s competitiveness and strategic sovereignty.