Ultra supports Sonobuoy Test Facility upgrade in UK
Ultra Electronics has secured a contract from QinetiQ to help replace the entire Sonobuoy Test Facility at the British Underwater Test & Evaluation Centre (BUTEC) in Scotland.
QinetiQ will provide COTS computer equipment including networking, data storage and installation.
Ultra will replace software-defined sonobuoy receivers, command function transmitters and a suite of analysis software for the ground station which provides control, monitoring, recording and analysis capabilities for the sonobuoy on test.
New user-friendly graphics and the reuse of seabed hardware to replace surface test equipment ‘will offer a real saving to the customer’, the company noted in a 22 September statement.
It added: ‘Not having to deploy equipment manually from a small boat means the new system will be safer and less time consuming to use.’
As part of our promise to deliver comprehensive coverage to our Defence Insight and Premium News subscribers, our curated defence news content provides the latest industry updates, contract awards and programme milestones.
More from Naval Warfare
-
![US turns to allies to tackle navy shipbuilding backlog]()
US turns to allies to tackle navy shipbuilding backlog
A White House memorandum acknowledges US Navy shipbuilding backlogs and a weakened industrial base, opening a formal path for South Korean and Japanese yards to help rebuild capacity.
-
![US Navy’s $275 billion BBGN plan hinges on shipyard transformation]()
US Navy’s $275 billion BBGN plan hinges on shipyard transformation
The US Navy’s planned nuclear-powered warship carries a US$275 billion price tag, but the greater story lies in the industrial overhaul needed to build it, from AI-enabled design to digital twins and modular construction.
-
![Industry sees opportunity in Australia’s shift to networked undersea warfare]()
Industry sees opportunity in Australia’s shift to networked undersea warfare
Australia’s new defence innovation strategy indicates a shift from platform-centric to network-centric undersea warfare, with Ocius and Anduril Industries pointing to fast-growing opportunities for local industry.
-
![Asia-Pacific emerges as the largest export market for US-made USVs]()
Asia-Pacific emerges as the largest export market for US-made USVs
Asian customers have placed one of the largest known international purchases of US-built uncrewed surface vessels, highlighting accelerating regional demand for autonomous maritime capabilities and distributed naval operations.
