Thales plans to hire 12,000 new staff this year as there is strong demand across its product range, according to the CEO of the French defense and technology group.

Thales has a total staff of 80,000, of which 40,000 are in France.

In an interview with French weekly Le Journal du Dimanche, Patrice Caine said that Thales had recruited 5,000 to 8,000 people per year over the past eight years and had already hired 11,500 new staff last year.

Caine said that all the firm's activities – defense and security, aeronautics and space, identity and digital security – were growing strongly.

"The company is a reflection of its markets, which are all seeing dynamic growth, with needs growing in all our fields of activity," he said.

Caine, who recently met with Ukraine's defense minister, said France would deliver its Ground Master 200 radar air defense system to Ukraine in May.

Since the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, shares of Thales – Europe's largest arms electronics provider – have risen nearly 60% to new all-time highs, outperforming the Refinitiv Europe Aerospace & Defense index.

President Emmanuel Macron said in January that French military spending would increase by more than a third in coming years, with the 2024-2030 military budget set to rise to 413 billion euros ($447 billion), up from 295 billion euros in the 2019-2025 period as the army adapts to a new security environment following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.