SEA and ACUA Ocean have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to explore deploying advanced sonar systems aboard long-endurance uncrewed surface vessels (USVs), aiming to enhance anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) operations.
The partnership will evaluate how SEA’s KraitSense towed array sonar can be integrated with ACUA Ocean’s autonomous platforms, which are designed to operate in high sea states over extended periods. The companies say the work could unlock new operational concepts for persistent wide-area sensing and undersea situational awareness.
Richard Flitton, Managing Director of SEA, said: “While crewed platforms remain vital to ASW and ISR operations, uncrewed vessels hosting specialist KraitSense payloads will bring powerful complimentary capabilities, that enable persistent wide-area underwater sensing and situational awareness.”
The agreement sets out a framework to co-develop mission concepts, identify defence and commercial opportunities, and showcase the combined technology to international customers. SEA will provide acoustic sensor expertise and technical support for integration, while ACUA Ocean brings its experience in ocean-going unmanned platforms.
Neil Tinmouth, Chief Executive Officer at ACUA Ocean, said: “By combining our stable ocean-going unmanned surface vessels with SEA’s leading ASW/ISR technology, we will deliver an autonomous solution that compliments and extends the operational benefits of existing platforms.”
The companies describe the planned capability as modular, scalable and cost-effective, with the potential to strengthen naval forces’ ability to detect and track submarines while reducing reliance on large crewed assets.
