Thales Partners with Lockheed Martin to Equip Global Navies with Cutting-Edge Anti-Submarine Warfare Sonar Systems

Thales has finalized an agreement with Lockheed Martin as a primary supplier for the provision of up to 55 airborne anti-submarine warfare sonars. The ALFS (Airborne Low Frequency Sonar) dipping sonars will be integrated onto the MH-60R platform for the U.S. Navy and three additional naval forces. The first deliveries of 42 systems will occur within the next five years, followed by the provision of 13 optional systems in the sixth year.

Since the early 2000s, Thales has supplied over 300 ALFS sonars to the U.S. Navy, and this new contract with Lockheed Martin is set to further enhance the Navy’s readiness strategy. Initial deliveries of the ALFS sonar system will reach the navies of India, Denmark, and Greece via direct U.S. Foreign Military Sales for the MH-60R platform.

To effectively manage their maritime domains and safeguard global security interests, naval forces require dependable, high-performance systems for missions such as anti-submarine warfare, maritime search and rescue, defense of maritime approaches, and fleet protection for operating naval forces.

Providing unmatched protection to maritime convoys, the ALFS anti-submarine warfare system is proficient in detecting, classifying, prosecuting, harassing, or engaging submarines, establishing Thales as the standard for leading navies worldwide. In addition to the U.S. Navy, other naval forces selecting Thales dipping sonar solutions include those of Australia, France, Norway, the Philippines, Poland, South Korea, Sweden, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom.

As a low-frequency active sonar, ALFS is specifically designed for the early detection and tracking of hostile submarines. It boasts an extensive detection range and a broad coverage area with minimal false alarm rates, effective in both deep and coastal waters. ALFS can operate independently to clear specific areas or serve as a supplementary anti-submarine warfare asset for surface vessels targeting and engaging threats.

“Gaining the confidence of the U.S. Navy, its allies, and partners globally is a point of pride for our team. This contract reinforces our status as a strategic supplier to Lockheed Martin and further solidifies our group’s leadership in anti-submarine warfare systems. We will persist in enhancing the performance and competitiveness of our airborne sonars to address the evolving operational challenges in anti-submarine warfare faced by our clients,” stated Alexis Morel, VP Underwater Systems at Thales.

* The Thales ALFS systems belong to the same product family of airborne anti-submarine dipping sonars as FLASH and Compact FLASH, with variations based on system destinations and technological requirements to comply with local regulations, including U.S. ITAR.