Thales to provide high-performance sonar suite for future Orka-class submarines in the Netherlands

19/03/2025

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Under an agreement signed by Thales and Naval Group, Thales will supply the sonar suite for the Orka-class submarines to be deployed by the Royal Netherlands Navy under the RNSC (Replacement Netherlands Submarine Capability) programme.

The sonar suite will provide a comprehensive picture of the underwater acoustic environment to support the future submarines capacity to thwart increasingly silent threats.

Thales is a world leader in the underwater systems market, equipping more than 50 submarines of various types - SSBNs1, SSNs2 and conventionally powered attack submarines - in service today.

Thales, a long-standing partner of both Naval Group and the Royal Netherlands Navy, will provide a comprehensive suite of high-performance sonar systems for the future class of submarines that will replace the Walrus-class vessels in service today. The contract will provide the submarines with a comprehensive picture of the underwater acoustic environment, helping the Netherlands to guarantee operational superiority.

The sonar suite features high-performance acoustic sensors, including bow, flank and obstacle-avoidance sonars, an intercept array, a passive towed-array sonar, an underwater voice communication system, an echo-sounder and signal processing racks. This cohesive suite of equipment will provide an unprecedented panoramic view of the underwater environment, making it possible to detect, locate and classify all types of threats at short, medium and long range across a wide range of frequencies.

Sylvain Perrier, RNSC Programme Director for Naval Group, said: The highly capable Thales sonar suite was a key component of Naval Groups bid for this programme, and will make a significant contribution to the acoustic superiority of the Orka-class submarines. We know we can count on Thales to meet the demanding requirements of the COMMIT3 and to work hand in hand with Dutch industry on the RNSC programme.

This programme is an opportunity for Thales to align with the Dutch governments policy of support and empowerment of strategic national industries. It will consolidate the companys engagement with the naval defence ecosystem in the Netherlands, within the framework of the RNSC programme, as illustrated by a recent contract with the Dutch company Optics11, to use its OptiArray technology in the passive towed-array sonar.

We are proud that Thaless advanced sonar suite has been selected to equip the Royal Netherlands Navys Orka-class submarines. This partnership will enhance the technological superiority of the Dutch armed forces, and reflects our ongoing commitment to providing innovative, dependable solutions in support of the defence capabilities of allied nations, said S bastien Gu r my, Vice President, Underwater Systems, Thales.

1 Ballistic missile submarines

2 Nuclear-powered attack submarines

3 COMMIT (Commando Materieel en IT / Materiel and IT Command) is part of the Dutch Ministry of Defence and responsible for the Orka-class submarines tendering process and project management.

Documents

Thales_Orka class_Infographic_EN.pdf

19032025_PR_Thales to provide high-performance sonar suite for future Orka-class submarines in the Netherlands.pdf

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Thales to provide high-performance sonar suite for future Orka-class submarines in the Netherlands

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