Thales announces landmark step in joint France-UK mine hunting capability
Thales has completed the first operational configuration mission sets of the joint France-UK mine countermeasure capability being developed under the Maritime Mine Countermeasures programme.
In a 16 July release, the company stated that the trials took place off the French coast near Brest at the end of June and in the presence of officials from both countries.
Over the week-long period, four operational scenarios were carried out using subsystems developed by Thales and its partners: the USV and volume search radar, towed array sonar, two UUVs equipped with SAMDIS sonar, and the robotic mine neutralisation system.
The first two scenarios involved end-to-end threat detection, classification and localisation. In the third scenario, readings were compared with data from an earlier mission to detect changes, with the final scenario entailing relocation and identification of several mines, and the neutralisation of one of them.
As part of our promise to deliver comprehensive coverage to our Defence Insight and Premium News subscribers, our curated defence news content provides the latest industry updates, contract awards and programme milestones.
More from European Naval Sector Special Report
-
![RIMPAC 2024 brings more navies together than ever before for biennial warfare exercise]()
RIMPAC 2024 brings more navies together than ever before for biennial warfare exercise
RIMPAC 2024 offered 29 national navies opportunities to train together for combat readiness in multiple domains, including underwater.
-
![Italian OPV to include BLoS communications equipment]()
Italian OPV to include BLoS communications equipment
Vessel to be commissioned in 2022; three others may follow
-
![Type 212CD talks hit a snag]()
Type 212CD talks hit a snag
Technological requirements seem to be a bone of contention between Germany and Norway, but both MoDs remain confident that the programme will proceed
-
![Spey embarks on delivery voyage]()
Spey embarks on delivery voyage
River class Batch 2 construction phase comes to an end with departure of HMS Spey from BAE Systems shipyard in Scotland
-
![Turkish industry unveils new USV]()
Turkish industry unveils new USV
Launch of the first USV in the Ulaq family is scheduled for December this year, to be followed by missile firing tests early in 2021
-
![French Navy takes aim at RapidFire]()
French Navy takes aim at RapidFire
Close-in weapon system to arm French naval vessels with additional potential to install it on land platforms
