Defence prime Thales has developed Sonar 76Nano, a new underwater sensor system designed to be fielded by uncrewed underwater vessels (UUVs) — and will be showing it off to the Royal Navy.
As per a company press statement, on Wednesday this week the firm plans to illustrate the new system’s capabilities to Royal Navy representatives via a technology demonstrator.
It describes the Sonar 76Nano, which the firm has developed self-funded over the last ten months, as “a revolutionary miniaturized acoustic detection system designed to redefine maritime security for the U.K., NATO, and their allies.”
An evolution of the firm’s existing Sonar 2076 system, it has been configured so that it can be integrated onto a variety of naval platforms, including drones.
Among its capabilities are submarine detection, seabed mapping, acoustic data collection, and stealth data transmission.
The statement claimed: “It enables the creation of a “hybrid” fleet of drones and conventional vessels, enhancing responsiveness in naval operations—an approach aligned with the Royal Navy’s Atlantic Bastion vision for integrated defence in the North Atlantic and beyond.”
The system includes passive and active elements and is understood to work in part via a series of sensory “tiles” fitted around the hull of a platform. It features AI-enhanced acoustic detection using artificial intelligence for real-time rapid target identification and data transmission prioritisation.
Its core capabilities will be passive and active send and receive sonar arrays for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) missions, protection of critical undersea infrastructure and seabed scanning via synthetic aperture sonar, and long-distance sub-surface comms and data transmission.
The firm’s Managing Director of Submarine Systems Paul Armstrong commented: “The Sonar 76Nano is a benchmark innovation. It is a concrete demonstration of what ingenuity and collaboration can achieve under tight deadlines.
“In just ten months, our teams have gone from visionary concepts to an advanced prototype that paves the way for the future of underwater security. With this innovation presented to the Royal Navy, we reaffirm our commitment to keeping the U.K. at the forefront of global maritime security.”
- You can read more details on the Thales website