The Thales sonar has been chosen to arm the upcoming underwater robot of the French Navy, as chosen by Naval Group.
Thales-Developed Sonar Boosts Unmanned Underwater Combat Capabilities
In a significant development for underwater warfare, Thales has developed an omnidirectional passive hull sonar that will be tested on Naval Group's Oceanic Drone Demonstrator as part of the UCUV (Unmanned Combat Underwater Vehicle) project.
The XL-UUV drone plays a crucial role in the UCUV project, where innovation and technology are combined with naval strategies. The sonar, provided by Thales to Naval Group, is an underwater detection device, enabling location, detection, and identification of submerged objects.
The objective of the project is to develop an unmanned combat submarine demonstrator and equip the army with the latest innovations in drone and seabed control technology. Thales, a company specializing in aerospace, security, and defense, has won a contract with Naval Group for this experimentation project by the DGA (General Directorate of Armament) for an autonomous passive hull sonar.
The sonar provides autonomous detection, classification, and localization capabilities, relying on high-performance signal and data processing, including artificial intelligence. The system's omnidirectional passive detection allows the unmanned submarine or UCUV to passively detect acoustic signals from all directions around the vessel without emitting active sonar pings, enhancing stealth.
Being hull-mounted, the sonar enables continuous, reliable operation with a broad field of acoustic coverage, critical for threat detection, navigation, and target tracking in complex underwater environments. The system operates at low frequencies suitable for long-range detection of other submarines, surface ships, and underwater threats, which is essential for the combat and surveillance roles these unmanned systems fulfill.
For the DGA's unmanned combat submarine demonstrator and Naval Group's UCUV project, this sonar system equips the vehicles with autonomous underwater sensing, significantly enhancing their operational autonomy and combat effectiveness in contested environments by facilitating passive surveillance and threat identification without compromising stealth.
In summary, the Thales omnidirectional passive hull sonar provides a foundational underwater sensing capability for unmanned combat submarine and UCUV projects, enabling effective, covert underwater detection and situational awareness essential for modern naval unmanned platforms. This development is part of a broader effort to make warfare on and under the water surface more autonomous, offering technological and tactical superiority.
References: [1] Naval Group. (n.d.). UCUV (Unmanned Combat Underwater Vehicle) Project. Retrieved from https://www.naval-group.com/projects/ucuv-unmanned-combat-underwater-vehicle-project
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