Dipping sonars are a powerful tool for detecting, classifying, locating, tracking and attacking hostile submarines. They are equally well suited to convoy protection roles. They can be used on their own to clear an area, or in conjunction with shipborne sonars to confirm a target location prior to an attack. They are quick to deploy and easy to project into remote theatres, providing an effective response to hostile threats.
Thales developed the FLASH (Folding Light Acoustic System for Helicopters) low-frequency wideband sonar system. Initially designed for helicopters, the FLASH system has also been successfully integrated on unmanned surface vehicles for demonstrations.
The system’s outstanding performance makes it the world leader in dipping sonar and the solution of choice for many naval forces around the world, including the US Navy, the UK Royal Navy, the United Arab Emirates, France, Norway and Sweden. FLASH is typically coupled with an active/passive sonobuoy processing system. Known as FLASH Sonics, this configuration offers a highly compact anti- submarine warfare capability for integration with the mission system on the host platform. Both solutions can be fully integrated with the tactical system, or operated as stand-alone systems as required.
Installed on Maritime Patrol Aircraft, the TMS 2000 sonobuoy processing system offers exceptional signal processing and display performance. TMS 2000 processes data from active sonobuoys in monostatic or multistatic mode. Signals from passive sonobuoys are processed in a range of optimised modes, depending on the nature of the threat. The system includes a full set of signal processing and analysis tools as well as embedded training and mission restitution functions.
- The Flash system is the world leader in acoustic dipping sonar
- 180 ALFS (Flash based) system ordered by the US Navy to equip MH-60R multi-mission helicopters