L-3 Klein Associates Wins Finnish Navy Contract

L-3 Klein Associates, Inc. was recently awarded a contract for the Finnish Navy which will include three Klein System 5000 high resolution, dynamically focused, multi-beam side scan sonars. The sonars will be part of a suite of sensors that will be installed on the Finnish Navy MCMV 2010 Program. The MCMV 2010 class mine countermeasure vessel is a series of three future multi-purpose mine countermeasure vessels which will be launched in 2010-2012, and will reach operational readiness by 2015. One Klein System 5000 will be delivered annually in 2009, 2010, and 2011. These systems were sold through EIVA a/s, Denmark who has vast experience in design and integration of customized system solutions for applications within the offshore, hydrographic and marine survey industry. The System 5000 is a five beam side scan sonar designed for hydrographic, military, and commercial applications requiring high resolution images of the seafloor and bottom obstructions, while operating at tow speeds up to 10 knots and with an overall swath width of 300 meters. The System 5000 is designed to provide constant resolution, regardless of speed, by adjusting the ping rate and overlapping beams to produce 100 percent bottom coverage with a constant 20 cm (normal resolution mode) or 10 cm (high resolution mode) along-track resolution. The combination of high speed and high resolution make the System 5000 a very capable instrument for oceanographic work.