There are many programmes managed from the U.K. part of Thales Underwater Systems and these are at varying stages of the project life cycle, from design, manufacture, installation, to in service support. A selection of the key programmes have been highlighted below:

Sonar 2076
Sonar 2076 is a fully integrated passive / active search and attack sonar suite which is scheduled for the mid-life update of the Royal Navy Trafalgar class submarines. The system incorporates a comprehensive set of new arrays and associated inboard processing. Thales Underwater Systems have been working on this programme for a number of years.

Sonar 2193
This contract was awarded in Spring 2001 and will be managed out of the Templecombe facility.
Sonar 2193 is the upgrade for the mine-hunting system (193M Mod 1 Sonar) for the Royal Navy's Hunt class mine counter measures vessels (MCMVs). Thales Underwater Systems are contracted to supply an integrated sonar and command system to the UK Ministry of Defence. The sonar will incorporate new wideband arrays and processing giving the Hunt class an unrivalled capability against stealthy mines in difficult littoral waters.
The export opportunities for Sonar 2193 are extensive, with a potential of export orders to the value of £200M over the next few years.

Sonar 2087
This contract was awarded to Thales Underwater Systems in Spring 2001 after several years of intense activity and hard work. This contract will be managed out of the Cheadle Heath facility.

Sonar 2087 will be the most advanced sonar ever deployed by the Royal Navy. It is a long-range sonar which will provide the Type 23, Duke class frigates with the ability to hunt the latest submarines at great distances.

Sonar 2089
Sonar 2089 is the advanced dipping sonar for the Royal Navy Merlin Helicopter currently in-service. Sonar 2089 is one of the configurations of the Thales Underwater Systems family of low frequency dipping sonars. It interfaces through the tactical management system with the AQS 903 acoustic processor. FLASH has been selected and successfully qualified by the US Navy.

« Playing Global, While Being Local » (François DUTHOIT, External Cooperation Director)

Cooperation is an "R&D FORCE MULTIPLIER", allowing Thales Underwater Systems to get more return on self funded activities by sharing efforts and results with an external partner. For example, cooperation is a way to share the burden of sea trials, as well as to gather data from experiments at sea ouside our domestic waters.

It is also a "SUPPORT TO BUSINESS ", creating links, and long term relationship with key players in the R&D and industrial field, as well as establishing local skills able to support and maintain Thales Underwater Systems products in cooperating countries.

In this context, the Thales Underwater Systems strategy outside our « domestic » market is TO BE THE LOGICAL PARTNER WHEN IT COMES TO UNDERWATER BUSINESS. This involves partnering with local universities, government organisations, or industry. The role of external cooperation is to implement this partnership, in order to:
  • Raise Thales Underwater Systems’s profile,
  • Improve our skills and technology base, and
  • Pave the way for future business.

    •