Wavefront Systems Launches Deep-Sea Solstice Sonar Variants

Wavefront Systems has released two new variants of its unique Solstice MAS Multi-Aperture Sonar.

Joining the company’s existing 300 m and 600 m depth-rated models are new versions rated to 1500 m and 3000 m, expanding suitability across a wider range of subsurface platforms.

Solstice combines the high performance of Synthetic Aperture Sonar (SAS) with the reliability and robustness of conventional Side-Scan Sonar (SSS) to deliver consistent, high-resolution imagery.

Consuming less than 20 W of power and offering a wide 200 m swath with high-speed data acquisition at up to 6 knots and co-registered bathymetry, Solstice is well suited to low-logistic autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), where power consumption is critical to mission endurance.

Typical applications for Solstice include mine countermeasure (MCM) operations, route surveys, habitat monitoring, archaeological surveys, and fluid and gaseous leak detection. Onboard processing enables near real-time implementation of detection algorithms, such as automatic leak detection and the identification of mine-like objects.

Paul Badger, Managing Director at Wavefront Systems, commented, “This is an exciting development allowing even more customers to experience the benefits of Multi-Aperture Sonar. When combined with options for delivery as a pre-configured AUV Payload Module we see Solstice as the natural choice for the latest generation of small, agile AUV platforms in both the defence and commercial sectors.”