Thales UK and Kongsberg Maritime are joining forces to develop an autonomous anti-submarine warfare vessel for the Royal Navy’s Type 92 requirement under a newly signed memorandum of understanding. The proposed system will integrate Kongsberg’s Arctic Hunter uncrewed surface vessel with Thales underwater sensors, sonar technologies, tactical planning systems, and secure communications. Designed for operations across the North Atlantic and High North, the initiative supports UK-Norwegian defense cooperation and NATO’s maritime security priorities. It also aligns with the Royal Navy’s Hybrid Navy concept, which seeks to combine crewed warships and uncrewed platforms within a connected operational network. The Arctic Hunter will act as the autonomous surface vessel carrying underwater sensors, while Thales will supply sonar expertise, acoustic modeling, tactical planning tools, and secure communications. Thales’ cortAIx artificial intelligence capabilities will assist in processing underwater sensor data, with secure links enabling information sharing across other naval assets. The concept is intended to allow crewed and uncrewed platforms to work together, improving the detection, tracking, and response to underwater threats. The partnership extends Thales’ established Royal Navy sonar involvement, including systems for the Type 23 and Type 26 frigates. It also follows an expanded agreement with BAE Systems last year to develop next-generation sonar capabilities for British submarines. Building on more than two decades of cooperation, that partnership aims to streamline the delivery of new sonar technologies and accelerate fleet upgrades.
