Thales seals minehunting sonar MoU in South Korea
Yangyang-class minesweeper Ongjin in foreground of picture. (Photo: ROKN)
A new MoU with a South Korean SME will see Thales provide operational expertise in variable-depth sonars for mine countermeasure missions.
Thales and South Korean SME SonarTech signed an MoU on 21 September for joint in-depth R&D of variable-depth sonars for the next generation of mine countermeasure vessels.
Announced during the first day of the DX Korea 2022 exhibition at the KINTEX Exhibition Center near Goyang, the MoU will see Thales provide operational expertise in HF variable-depth sonars for mine warfare sonar systems.
SonarTech will offer technical expertise in underwater acoustic products and mine warfare hull-mounted sonar inboard electronics.
Thales already has experience in technical cooperation with local Korean partners such as SonarTech and LIG Nex 1, by providing equipment, technology and engineering assistance to develop local equipment.
Shephard previously reported that South Korea plans to implement the Minesweeper Hunter 2 programme in 2024 to replace six ageing Ganggyeong-class minehunters with new 500-700t vessels that would operate with autonomous underwater vehicles.
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