British soldiers will receive a new acoustic weapon-locating system five years earlier than originally planned, as the Army accelerates delivery of Leonardo UK’s SONUS technology under an £18.3 million contract, the Ministry of Defence stated.
According to the MOD, SONUS is designed to detect hostile gunfire, mortars and explosions by sensing acoustic pressure waves. Because the system operates passively, it does not emit an electronic signature, allowing troops to identify the source of fire without revealing their position.
The MOD said the new system weighs 70% less than its predecessor and can be deployed in under three minutes, making it easier to transport and quicker to bring into operation. The capability is intended to help soldiers locate enemy fire more rapidly and take evasive or offensive action.
The contract with Leonardo UK sustains around 250 jobs across the country, including at the company’s Basildon site, and involves 29 small and medium-sized enterprises. The procurement forms part of wider defence spending increases, with government plans to raise defence expenditure to 2.6% of GDP from 2027.
Defence Minister Luke Pollard said: “We’ve accelerated our procurement of this equipment by five years to provide additional layers of safety for our personnel through more durable, lightweight systems in a new era of threat.” He added: “Making defence an engine for growth is a key priority for this government and this deal sustains jobs across the UK, benefits multiple SMEs and boosts our Armed Forces.”
Brigadier M Birch, Senior Responsible Owner for the Land ISTAR Programme, said: “This investment in Leonardo’s SONUS Acoustic Weapon Locating System demonstrates the Army’s commitment to delivering cutting-edge technology to the front line.” He added: “It will significantly enhance our ability to protect our people and respond to emerging threats, ensuring the Army remains ready to meet the challenges of the future.”
Olly Manning, Vice President Mission Systems at Leonardo, said: “Leonardo has over 40 years of experience in passive acoustic weapon-locating technology, with battle-proven systems that have seen operational use with over 13 armed forces – many of whom are NATO members.” He added: “We are looking forward to working in partnership with the British Army to ensure SONUS provides them with an accurate, robust and reliable passive detection system that will keep our Armed Forces safe – now and into the future.”
good work, hopefully would hear and locate drones ?
Wait, what? Stuff getting sped up?
The fact that it was initially supposed to take 5 years for a single-source contract is the remarkable thing.
Could have used that on the Creggan….
Nice. Ever cynical, I did wonder 5 years earlier than what? Was it supposed to be delivered in 2045 and now it’s 2040, but the headline from Janes reassured me the device will be delivered through this year. Some genuinely good news.