PARIS, Oct 23 (Reuters) - France's Thales

reaffirmed full-year targets as it posted nine-month sales up

6.2% on an underlying basis, with its new order intake rising

23% led by defence and security demand.

Sales for the first nine months reached 14.07 billion euros

($15.20 billion) and new orders rose to a better-than-expected

15.55 billion, Europe's largest defence electronics supplier

said.

Analysts were on average expecting nine-month revenues of

14.04 billion euros and new orders of 15.26 billion, according

to a company-compiled consensus.

($1 = 0.9258 euros)