Thales' sonar is slated for installation on the upcoming underwater drone of the French Navy, as chosen by Naval Group.
Unmanned systems are becoming increasingly important in naval combat, and the latest development in this field is the Unmanned Combat Underwater Vehicle (UCUV) project, a collaboration between Thales, Naval Group, and the French Defense Procurement Agency (DGA). At the heart of this project is Thales' omnidirectional passive hull sonar, which plays a crucial role in providing the UCUV with a 360-degree acoustic sensing capability.
This advanced sonar system offers several key benefits:
- Situational Awareness: By passively listening to underwater sound sources in all directions, the sonar allows the UCUV to detect and identify nearby vessels, obstacles, and environmental features without revealing its own position.
- Navigation and Obstacle Avoidance: The omnidirectional coverage enables the unmanned vehicle to safely navigate complex underwater environments by detecting acoustic signatures or noises from other underwater objects or threats.
- Stealth and Survivability: Since the sonar is passive, it does not emit pings or signals that could expose the vehicle’s location, enhancing stealth and survivability in hostile environments.
- Target Detection and Tracking: The system assists in underwater surveillance and reconnaissance missions by monitoring acoustic signals from potential targets or threats.
In essence, Thales’ omnidirectional passive hull sonar equips the UCUV with essential passive underwater acoustic awareness, enabling safer navigation, detection, and stealth operations critical for effective unmanned combat missions.
Marc Delors, director of the team participating in the unmanned combat submarine demonstrator project, emphasised the significance of the sonar. He explained that the system provides detection, classification, and localization capabilities, making it essential for the secure autonomous navigation of an XL-UUV drone.
Moreover, these capabilities require high-performance signal and data processing, including artificial intelligence. The sonar will be tested on Naval Group's Oceanic Drone Demonstrator as part of the UCUV project, demonstrating its potential to revolutionise underwater combat operations. This role provides technological and tactical superiority in new areas of conflict and asymmetric combat.
In conclusion, the collaboration between Thales, Naval Group, and the DGA on the UCUV project represents a significant step forward in the development of unmanned underwater combat vehicles. The omnidirectional passive hull sonar developed by Thales is a testament to the power of innovation and technology in enhancing naval strategies and combat capabilities.
- The omnidirectional passive hull sonar developed by Thales, a vital component of the UCUV project, offers artificial intelligence capabilities for advanced signal processing and data analysis, promising to revolutionize underwater combat operations.
- With the integration of the omnidirectional passive hull sonar, the UCUV project, spearheaded by Thales, Naval Group, and the DGA, showcases how technology and innovation can boost environmental awareness, ensure stealth and survivability, and drive advancements in naval combat strategies.
