Interview with Mr. Jean LAGAILLARDE, Product Manager at Exail, European Leader in Sovereign Technologies and High-Precision Navigation

AeroMorning October 8, 2025

AeroMorning: Good morning, Mr. Jean LAGAILLARDE. Could you give us an overview of the Exail group?

Jean LAGAILLARDE: Exail is a high-tech industrial group formed in 2022 through the merger of ECA Group and iXblue. With over 80 years of combined expertise, it has become a major player in the design and production of sovereign technologies for complex environments, including defense, aerospace, space, robotics, and oceanography. Some key figures (2024) illustrate its scale:

• Over 2,000 employees across 30 sites worldwide.
• €370 million in revenue, 75% from exports.
• €700 million in order backlog.
• 20% of revenue reinvested in R&D.
• Presence in more than 80 countries.

Exail stands out with a dual civilian/defense model that promotes cross-fertilization between civil innovations and military applications. This strategy enables the rapid delivery of operational systems while supporting European technological sovereignty.

AeroMorning: What are your company’s areas of expertise and advanced technologies?

Jean LAGAILLARDE: Exail develops solutions in several strategic areas:

• Inertial Navigation (IMU = Inertial Measurement Unit, INS = Inertial Navigation System, based on fiber-optic gyroscope technology).
• Maritime Robotics (underwater drones, autonomous surface vessels, mine countermeasure systems).
• Photonics and Quantum Technologies (specialized optical fibers, quantum sensors, electro-optical modulators).
• Space (navigation and communication equipment for satellites and exploration missions).
• Simulation and Training (simulators for ground and air forces).
• Underwater Imaging (multifrequency sonars and high-resolution imaging systems).

AeroMorning: Let’s talk specifically about inertial navigation. Why are GNSS capabilities (GPS, Galileo, etc.) and resilient navigation becoming so important, especially given ongoing conflicts, but not only?

Jean LAGAILLARDE: GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite Systems) are now critical infrastructures for navigation and timing. However, they remain vulnerable to:

• Jamming – signal interference.
• Spoofing – signal deception.
• Coverage loss – in challenging environments such as underwater, dense urban areas, or mountainous terrain.

In these situations, both military forces and civilian operators need robust, autonomous solutions.

AeroMorning: Which markets are targeted by your inertial products?

Jean LAGAILLARDE: Our inertial products are used across several major domains:

1 – Defense, mainly:

• Naval Defense: maintaining navigation in contested zones, countermeasures against cyber and GNSS threats.
• Ground Forces: precise positioning for artillery, coordinated maneuvers, and reliable targeting.

Exail’s solutions have been combat-tested and are already adopted by over 50 navies and 20 armies worldwide.

2 – Drones/UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles): trajectory maintenance and payload stabilization (cameras, LiDARs).

3 – Civil Sector: offshore operations, aviation, maritime transport, scientific exploration.

AeroMorning: How does Exail address these market needs?

Jean LAGAILLARDE: Exail leverages over 30 years of expertise in fiber-optic gyroscopes (FOG). Its systems provide precise, continuous navigation independent of satellite signals, and are integrated across a wide range of platforms:

• Naval: frigates, submarines, maritime drones (Marins, PHINS, Octans, Quadrans).
• Ground: armored vehicles, artillery, land drones (Advans INS series).
• Air and UAVs: compact solutions like UmiX 40.

Key Exail products include:

• Advans Series (ground INS): ultra-precise navigation and pointing with azimuth up to 0.5 mil (≈0.05625°), low drift (0.1% DT), rapid alignment (30 sec), reliable performance from -46°C to +71°C.
• UmiX 40 (IMU for UAVs): ultra-compact sensor (770 g) combining north-seeking FOG gyros and quartz accelerometers, designed for drones. It enables GNSS-independent navigation and precise targeting, a product in which Exail has high confidence given the growing UAV market.
• Marins and PHINS (naval): reference inertial systems for ships and submarines, capable of maintaining precise trajectory over several days without GNSS.

All based on FOG (Fiber-Optic Gyroscope) technology, providing exceptional precision, robustness in extreme environments (shock, vibration, temperature, magnetic fields), and durability due to the absence of moving parts.

AeroMorning: With so many application areas, you must have numerous competitors. Who are they?

Jean LAGAILLARDE: Indeed, the inertial navigation and sovereign technology market is dominated by leading global players:

• Honeywell Aerospace (USA): historical leader in inertial and resilient GNSS systems, major supplier to U.S. and NATO forces.
• Northrop Grumman (USA): FOG specialist and military PNT systems provider, strong presence in space and naval defense.
• Safran Electronics & Defense (France): direct European competitor in resonant gyroscopes and terrestrial/aerial navigation.
• Thales (France): major player in integrated defense solutions, developing secure GNSS systems and hybrid navigation equipment.
• Kongsberg Gruppen (Norway): recognized for naval and underwater solutions, especially maritime robotics and countermeasures.
• Raytheon / Collins Aerospace (USA): major supplier of avionics and inertial systems for commercial and military aviation.

AeroMorning: Mr. LAGAILLARDE, with such competition, what strategic positioning allows Exail to rank among the leaders in precision navigation?

Jean LAGAILLARDE: In summary, Exail focuses on three strategic axes:

• Technological and Operational Sovereignty: Exail addresses this through advanced inertial navigation and GNSS resilience.
• Anticipate and meet market needs quickly and effectively: Daily, Exail leverages annual R&D investments and an agile structure to develop high-performance, competitive, and reliable solutions tailored to new client requirements.
• Differentiation: Exail stands out from U.S. and European competitors thanks to its dual civilian/defense model and expertise in fiber-optic gyroscopes.

Thanks to these three strategic axes, Exail has secured its position among the leaders in inertial navigation.

AeroMorning: Thank you for presenting Exail and its navigation products, a topic that has become highly relevant. We appreciate your time and insights for our readers.

Source: Aeromorning