Royal Navy accepts Thales sonar
The Royal Navy has accepted Thales UK’s new 2093 mine countermeasures sonar after the successful completion of sea trials on HMS Grimsby, Thales announced on 20 August.
Thales UK developed the enhanced 2093 Wideband variant under the 2093 Capability Sustainment Programme (CSP) for the Royal Navy to improve threat recognition capability and range.
The 2093 Wideband variant is a multi-frequency variable depth sonar system designed to counter the threat of modern mines in both deep and shallow water. Its sonar transmitter and receiver are contained within a towed body which is lowered below the ship by automated winch of armoured cable, penetrating oceanic temperature layers which can block sonar signals.
The system's pulse compression technology allows long range detection and classification of new generation, low target strength mines, while wider fields of view and multiple search and classification frequencies ensure that the critical mine hunting parameters of coverage rate and speed of advance are maximised under any operational conditions.
The remaining six Sandown-class minehunters will all be refitted with 2093 CSP at the Royal Navy’s dockyard in Rosyth.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Naval Warfare
-
![France and Sweden sign defence roadmap as Naval Group positions FDI frigate for Swedish surface ship programme]()
France and Sweden sign defence roadmap as Naval Group positions FDI frigate for Swedish surface ship programme
A pact signed at the Paris Air Show has seen Sweden turn to the French FDI frigate to lead its next-gen surface combatant fleet amid shifting security dynamics in the Baltic Sea.
-
![US Navy moves quickly with uncrewed vessels and industry follows]()
US Navy moves quickly with uncrewed vessels and industry follows
The US Navy (USN) is evolving into a hybrid fleet with uncrewed systems supporting crewed vessels and companies working to provide new solutions. In the case of Ocean Aero, its Triton uncrewed surface vessel can also be used underwater.
-
![US to review AUKUS submarine partnership]()
US to review AUKUS submarine partnership
The Australia, UK and US (AUKUS) trilateral agreement consists of two pillars. The first pillar involves Australia’s procurement of nuclear-powered submarines (SSNs) and the second pillar involves bring defence industry and research bases closer together through high-technology development programmes. It is the former which is under re-evaluation.
-
![South Korea pushes forward on unmanned surface vessel development for future fleet]()
South Korea pushes forward on unmanned surface vessel development for future fleet
South Korean industry continues to evolve unmanned surface vessels as the ROK Navy targets future force needs and addresses manpower challenges.
-
![How the US Government plans to put the US Navy’s shipbuilding programmes back on track]()
How the US Government plans to put the US Navy’s shipbuilding programmes back on track
In an attempt to reduce delays in shipbuilding efforts, the US government, lawmakers and the Navy are betting big on further investments in the national defence industry and public shipyards. Reviewing and reformulating ongoing initiatives and business practices will also be form part of the effort.
