Canadian Navy to deploy Aurora Towfish
International Submarine Engineering (ISE) has announced that it has received a contract from Dettwiler and Associates (MDA) that will see its Aurora Towfish deployed on the Royal Canadian Navy’s Maritime Coastal Defence Vessels. The system will be used to support mine detection missions and route survey operations.
According to the company, the Aurora towfish has been proven as a viable component of the Royal Canadian Navy’s Route Survey strategy, and ISE will provide two commercial off-the-shelf, high speed Aurora Towfish for the contract. The system will include modifications to integrate new sensors and navigation equipment, including an L3 Klein sidescan sonar, and an R2Sonic bathymetric multibeam echosounder.
The Aurora towfish is a towed underwater vehicle capable of carrying imaging sonars and other marine sensors, which can be easily changed due to the system’s modular design. It has been designed with a large, actively controlled main wing to control depth. The large downforce created by the wing reduces the cable scope and layback, particularly with unfaired cables, enhancing the positional accuracy of the towfish. It can operate at speeds of up to 12 knots.
In conjunction with the Dorado Semi-submersible Technical Demonstrator, Aurora has been used in multiple sea trials, demonstrations and evaluations since 1999.
More from Naval Warfare
-
US tests the newest QUICKSINK maritime weapon variant in the Norwegian Sea
The low-cost, anti-ship, precision-guided 500lb class capability was launched by a USAF B-2 Spirit stealth bomber.
-
US Navy seeks suppliers for Landing Craft Utility 1700-class
With ongoing market research to find potential shipyards for building LCUs, NAVSEA intends to issue a request for proposals for the programme next year.
-
US Coast Guard orders 10 additional Fast Response Cutters
The USCG exercised a $507 million contract option for the acquisition of 10 extra FRCs. This new order will raise the total number of Sentinel-class vessels procured by the service from 67 to 77.
-
DSEI 2025: Red Cat expands into USV production with focus on combat-proven technology
At DSEI 2025, Red Cat outlines its expansion from UAVs into uncrewed surface vessels (USVs), positioning itself as a multi-domain defence provider spanning land, sea, and air.
-
Anduril Australia wins A$1.7 billion Ghost Shark XL-AUV contract
The vessels are expected to deliver a major boost to Australia’s undersea warfare capabilities, with production set to start immediately.