Thales unit wins $53.9 mln U.S. Navy mine-hunting contract

Thales' Advanced Acoustic Concepts subsidiary received a $53.9 million contract from the U.S. Navy to develop two Remote Mine Hunting modules, with options that could increase the total contract value to approximately $196.2 million for extra modules. The Remote Mine Hunting system assists the Navy in its Mine Countermeasures mission by remotely detecting, locating, and classifying underwater mines.

This technology enables sailors to engage in mine-hunting activities from safer distances while preserving mission efficiency in hostile maritime environments. Thales North America CEO Rob Geckle emphasized that countering undersea mine threats is crucial for maritime security and naval mission success. The Remote Mine Hunting module suite incorporates advanced multiview towed Synthetic Aperture Sonar for high-resolution mine detection and imaging, plus AI-enhanced Automatic Target Recognition algorithms.

These software tools facilitate the processing, classification, mapping, and management of mine-hunting data, enabling quicker decision-making for sailors. Advanced Acoustic Concepts President Mike Carnovale stated that the program integrates advanced mine warfare technologies with the subsidiary's expertise in providing integrated undersea warfare capabilities to the U.S. Navy.