Success story from ThalesA few days ago, the French company announced the delivery of the first fully autonomous minehunting system to the British Royal Navy. This was made possible under the auspices of the Organization for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAr) and as part of the Franco-British MMCM project (Maritime Mine Counter Measures).
The autonomous minehunters not only drastically reduce the risk for the personnel on board the ships, but also contribute to the safety of the sea routes that are important for the global economy.
The Royal Navy will receive the first four systems later this year. Each of these systems comprises multiple integrated equipment and sub-systems that will enable the execution of multiple missions: an Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV), an Advanced Towed Sonar (TSAM) with a State of the Art Multi-Vision Sonar (SAMDIS), a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) and a Lightweight Operations Center (e-POC), all supported by a secure command and control system.
UK Minister for Defense Procurement and Industry, Maria Eagle, said: “This delivery is a significant milestone for our minehunting capability and the autonomous technology will make the UK and Royal Navy sailors safer by identifying and removing mines. It has also created hundreds of skilled jobs in UK industry – clear evidence that defense is an engine for economic growth.”
By using cyber-secure autonomous drones equipped with artificial intelligence (AI), the platforms can process large volumes of data. Data processing is supported by the new Mi-Map sonar analysis application, which Thales has developed in-house. According to the company, this application can process sonar data up to four times faster and “enables operators to speed up the process of identifying and neutralizing mines”. Keyword operator: the autonomous minehunters can be deployed from a mother ship or from coastal bases.
Phil Siveter, CEO of Thales in the UK, said: “We are very proud to be delivering the world’s first autonomous minehunting system to the Royal Navy. With the introduction of artificial intelligence and advanced sensor technology, this innovation heralds a new era in naval defense and underlines our unwavering commitment to delivering cutting-edge solutions that enhance the capabilities of our armed forces. The Royal Navy now has a powerful tool to protect its national interests and maintain security at sea.”
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