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Ultra Sonar Systems has partnered with Kraken Robotic Systems to support the delivery of Kraken’s SeaScout system to the Royal Danish Navy. Ultra is a provider of a wide range of underwater warfare solutions for surface ships and submarines, as well as logistics support design services and long term support solutions.
The SeaScout consists of Kraken’s KATFISH towed Synthetic Aperture Sonar vehicle, Tentacle Winch and Autonomous Launch and Recovery System (ALARS), and will be integrated onto the Royal Danish Navy’s optionally unmanned surface vessels (USVs) in support of their mine countermeasure (MCM) activities. KATFISH is a high speed, actively-stabilized towed vehicle that is fitted with the state-of-the-art AquaPix synthetic aperture sonar. It can be used to survey the seafloor in ultra high-definition at extremely large area coverage rates.
Ultra’s Integrated Logistic Support (ILS) engineering team will provide expert support to Kraken throughout the delivery phase. The team will produce ILS documentation and support Kraken’s installation and commissioning teams in the field, with an option to continue to support the complete SeaScout system throughout the lifecycle once it is in service with the Danish Navy.
The SeaScout systems will allow naval operators to survey for seabed and tethered mines from a safe distance in real-time, doing away with the need to put crew members in harm’s way. Information is transmitted through the system’s tow cable and radio to naval manned and unmanned platforms, and potential targets can be tagged for closer inspection. Once a threat is identified, mine countermeasures can be employed to inspect the object or to safely dispose of it.
Karl Kenny, President and CEO of Kraken Robotic Systems, commented: “Kraken is pleased to be providing this state-of-the-art system to the Royal Danish Navy. This contract was a highly competitive bid process and we were compared on all fronts with large, global defence contractors so we are proud to have been selected. The next 24 months will see Kraken deliver four complete SeaScout systems to the navy which will complete the majority of the contract. Kraken has also established an office in Copenhagen, Kraken Denmark, which will be the basis for our Danish Centre of Excellence in Mine Counter Measures, while also providing support for the systems and conducting critical research and development in MCM moving forward.”
Bernard Mills, President of Ultra Sonar Systems, stated: “We are extremely pleased to be supporting Kraken Robotic Systems in delivering this key capability to the Danish Navy. It also pleases me that our long standing capability in ILS services continues to be recognised.”
