Airborne anti-submarine warfare sonars to be delivered to four navies
NewsApril 28, 2021
FRANCE. Thales has signed a contract with Lockheed Martin as a tier-one supplier for the delivery of up to 55 airborne anti-submarine warfare sonars. The Airborne Low Frequency Sonar (ALFS) dipping sonars will be installed on the MH-60R platform for the U.S. Navy and three additional navies. Delivery of the first 42 systems will occur over the next five years with a delivery of 13 optional systems to occur in year six.
Thales has delivered more than 300 ALFS sonars to the U.S. Navy since the early 2000s. The navies of India, Denmark, and Greece will receive their first deliveries of the ALFS sonar system through direct U.S. Foreign Military Sales of the MH-60R platform.
The ALFS anti-submarine warfare system is designed to detect, classify, and attack submarines. As a low frequency active sonar, ALFS is designed for the initial detection and tracking of opposing submarines. It offers a long detection range with a wide coverage rate and a low false alarm level, both in deep and coastal waters. It can be used autonomously to clear a particular area or as a complementary anti-submarine warfare asset to sonars on board surface vessels for target relocation and attack.
In addition to the U.S. Navy, the other navies that have chosen Thales dipping sonar solutions include the navies of Australia, France, Norway, the Philippines, Poland, South Korea, Sweden, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom, according to the company.
