JSK and Kraken join to develop ASW autonomous capability for Canada

JSK Naval Support is collaborating with Kraken Robotic Systems to jointly develop an AUV-based sonar capability that will be offered to the Royal Canadian Navy. 

Anti-submarine warfare specialist JSK will work with the marine sensor and underwater robotics company to develop the system based off their joint expertise in open mission and unmanned sub-surface technologies, they say.  

The ThunderFish AUV from Kraken will host the KraitArray sonar system from JSK, which the companies say will be suited to the requirements of the Royal Canadian Navy and other export customers.

It will combine a small, wet winch supplied by Kraken’s Handling Systems group with JSK’s KraitArray, which is a thin 20mm modular array that detects acoustic signatures from submarine contacts. 

The winch can be used to lower and recover the KraitArray from the ThunderFish AUV.

‘This is a partnership based on the innovation of both our of companies,’ Brian March, president of JSK Naval Support, said.

‘KraitArray is the only array small enough to fit Kraken’s industry leading ThunderFish platforms, which increases the adaptability of the array and enables the use of the KraitArray in underwater missions of increasing depth and duration.’

‘This collaboration will offer end users significantly improved flexibility across a wide range of underwater situations,’ Karl Kenny, president of Kraken Robotic Systems, added.

‘ThunderFish is a versatile and compact vehicle which, when combined with JSK’s lightweight sonar capability, offers an agile, high performance solution for the detection of underwater threats.’