Partnership to Advance Autonomous Long-Range Undersea Surveillance

Saildrone and Thales Australia have created a USV–towed array integration that aims to advance autonomous long-range subsea surveillance for autonomous anti-submarine warfare By Abi Wylie / 22 Apr 2024

Unmanned Surface Vehicles

Discover cutting-edge solutions from 8 leading global suppliers
SUPPLIER SPOTLIGHT
Partnership to Advance Autonomous Long-Range Undersea Surveillance
Follow OS&T

Saildrone has made a strategic partnership with Thales Australia to integrate the Thales BlueSentry thin-line towed array with Saildrone Surveyor-class uncrewed surface vehicles (USVs) for autonomous anti-submarine warfare (ASW) missions. 

The Saildrone Surveyor is the largest in the Saildrone range of USVs and is capable of extreme, long-endurance missions in the open ocean. Equipped with the newest evolution of Thales’s BlueSentry towed array, the Surveyor will conduct autonomous underwater ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance) for ASW applications. 

This enhanced USV capability supports broader naval operations by freeing up traditional low-density / high-demand manned assets to conduct other missions. At 20 meters long (65 feet) and weighing 15 tons, the Surveyor classifies as a medium USV, built to American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) Light Warship code. 

Saildrone’s Surveyor-class USVs are designed for persistent, wide-area maritime domain awareness (MDA) missions, using radar, cameras, acoustics, and advanced machine learning to deliver comprehensive situational awareness remotely from anywhere in the world. 

The first production Saildrone Surveyor USV was launched last month from Austal USA in Mobile, AL. The initial group of USVs is contracted to the US Navy for the testing and evaluation of Surveyor-class vehicles in multiple environments. Upcoming Navy missions will focus on the ability of the Surveyor to deliver both surface and undersea intelligence for a range of high-priority applications, including anti-submarine warfare (ASW).

Troy Stephen, Vice President Underwater Systems, Thales Australia and New Zealand, said; “Thales Australia has a proud history of exporting specialized sonar and acoustic products in support of one of our closest allies, the United States. Over two decades, these products have spanned the fields of Seismic survey to mine warfare and, more recently, surface ship anti-submarine warfare. 

“This opportunity with Saildrone now represents the ability to expand that support to include our latest innovations in the field of undersea surveillance through the BlueSentry thin line array system. The Saildrone Surveyor offers a unique capability within the field of USVs, and Thales looks forward to the opportunity of contributing to the impressive maritime domain awareness capability of the platform.”

Richard Jenkins, Saildrone founder and CEO, said; “The Saildrone Surveyor was developed to conduct long-duration MDA missions in remote locations. Combining the BlueSentry thin line towed array with our most capable USV provides a game-changing solution for wide-area ASW operations. 

“Saildrone is committed to continuously delivering new advanced solutions to our defense customers, and it is wonderful to be able to add this new capability to the list of Saildrone services.”

Posted by Abi Wylie Edited by Abigail Wylie, Editor and Copywriter experienced in digital media with a keen interest in ocean science technology. Connect & Contact

Latest Articles

Reducing Risk in Explosive Ordnance Disposal Operations with ROVs

Oceanbotics explores how naval mines threaten ocean operations—and how modern ROV technology is transforming underwater mine detection and disposal for safer missions

May 09, 2025
Profile Spotlight: Applied Acoustics’ Subsea Tracking & Profiling Systems for Marine Survey & Positioning

Applied Acoustics is showcasing its full suite of underwater positioning, navigation, and sub-bottom profiling solutions on OST, supporting offshore industries with advanced acoustic technologies

May 09, 2025
Most Read Articles on OST in April

Take a look at our round-up of the five most read articles on OceanScienceTechnology.com this month

May 08, 2025
Impact Subsea Wins King’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade

Impact Subsea has won the King’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade, highlighting its global growth and advanced subsea sensor innovations

May 08, 2025
How ROVs Are Transforming Underwater Tasks Across Industries

Deep Trekker details the modern applications of underwater remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), examining key classes, industry uses, and evolving benefits in marine and subsea operations

May 08, 2025
Airmar Extends Warranty for its High-Performance Multisensor Solutions

Effective April 1, 2025, Airmar Technology Corporation has extended its standard warranty from two to three years, reinforcing its commitment to long-term customer support

May 08, 2025

Featured Content

Advanced Navigation Integration Enhances Side Scan Sonar Precision

Klein Marine Systems has selected Exail’s navigation technology to enhance the precision and reliability of its 5900 Side Scan Sonar system

May 02, 2025
Advanced Multibeam Sonar Technology Expands Capabilities in Offshore & Energy Sectors

Oceanscan Singapore expands its global rental fleet with the latest NORBIT multibeam sonar systems, enhancing survey capabilities for energy and offshore markets

May 01, 2025
D-2 Ultra Low Power CTD Integrated into WHOI Arctic Research

D-2 Inc.’s advanced CTD sensor supports WHOI’s Arctic climate research, enhancing data precision in the Ice Tethered Profiler program’s latest deployments

Apr 30, 2025