July 23 (Reuters) - French defence and aerospace group

Thales raised its 2025 sales growth forecast on

Wednesday after posting higher first-half sales and profit amid

higher military spending in Europe.

Europe's largest defence electronics firm also said its

widely watched adjusted operating profit rose 12.7% on a

comparable basis to 1.25 billion euros, fractionally above

market forecasts, led by the Aerospace and Defence units.

The company, whose portfolio spans fighter radars to

seat-back screens for airlines, now expects 2025 sales growth of

between 6% and 7% instead of the 5% to 6% it had forecast

previously, pointing to full-year revenue between 21.8 billion

euros ($25.62 billion) and 22 billion euros.

Thales, partially owned by the French state, said sales rose

8.1% on a like-for-like basis to 10.27 billion euros in the

first half, while new orders fell 4% to 10.35 billion due to a

tough comparison with last year's surge in big-ticket deals.

Revenues were slightly lower than expected, though orders

came in ahead of expectations.

Analysts had on average been forecasting half-year sales of

10.35 billion euros and 9.02 billion euros of fresh orders, as

well as an adjusted operating profit of 1.22 billion euros,

according to a company-compiled consensus.

The increase in sales was mostly driven by defence and

avionics activities, CEO Patrice Caine told reporters.