Thales next-generation sonar system for French Navy

The French defence procurement agency (DGA) has awarded Thales a 42-month contract to conduct a set of studies and technological developments for a sonar system to be equipped on France’s future third-generation nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SNLE 3G). These developments take into account the of all sizes, along with academic institutions and government representatives from 15 European Union countries.” The winning team will conduct two demonstrations involving the operation of new surveillance systems and integrated information processing systems, deployed in several European naval exercises, first in the Mediterranean during 2019, then in the Baltic Sea in 2020. During these naval operations, Safran will deploy a maritime surveillance version of its Patroller drone, the only fixed-wing, long-endurance drone taking part in these demonstrations.