UK Royal Navy Contracts SEA for Sonar Support
Cohort plc company SEA won a contract by the UK Ministry of Defense (UK MoD) to provide support to a range of UK Royal Navy acoustic and sonar underwater systems fitted to the surface and sub-surface fleets. The two year deal to deliver the MoD Underwater Systems Architecture Advisory Service (USAAS) combines all Maritime Combat System Underwater Electronic Warfare (MCS-UEW) sonar support and advice requirements within a single program for the first time. It is valued at around $1.27 million and will task SEA with providing advice and support for the Sonar 2150…
Thales to Take Key Role in 'Exercise Unmanned Warrior'
Thales is set to play a key role in a major U.K. Royal Navy exercise later this year to understand how unmanned systems might add real innovative operational capability in a military maritime environment. Exercise Unmanned Warrior will bring together the Royal Navy and 40 organizations from defense, industry and academia in October, representing the largest exercise of its kind. More than 50 vehicles, sensors and systems from across defense and industry will be deployed the Ministry of Defense exercise centered around the U.K. coast of Scotland and West Wales.
Estonian Navy’s New Support Contract with Thales
Thales has signed a contract with the Estonian Navy to provide an additional 12 months of technical support and maintenance to two former Royal Navy (RN) mine countermeasures vessels (MCMVs) now serving with the Estonian fleet. The contract was signed by the Chief of the Estonian Navy, Captain Igor Schvede, at the Estonian Navy Headquarters at Tallinn. During the meeting, discussions were also initiated on how Thales could help the Estonian Navy achieve their ambition of creating an indig¬en¬ous sonar support capability in future years. The two former RN Sandown-class vessels – HMS Sandown and HMS Inver¬ness – were decommissioned and sold to Estonia in 2006. The vessels were re-named ENS Admiral Cowan and ENS Sakala.
Italian Minehunters Sonar Upgraded
Thales has signed a significant contract with Intermarine to supply its Sonar 2093 system to the Italian Navy’s (Marina Militare Italiana) Gaeta-class minehunting fleet. The contract, signed on 18 November, follows on from a main contract agreed in August this year between Intermarine and the Italian Navy to refit eight Gaeta-class minehunters as part of a major mid-life technology upgrade. Under the terms of the latest contract, Thales UK will supply eight Sonar 2093 systems. The majority of the manufacturing work will be undertaken at Thales UK’s site in Templecombe, Somerset. Sonar 2093 is a variable-depth sonar system and is designed for the detection and classification of bottom and moored mines.
