Thales and Exail to deliver French Navy’s new mine detection autonomous underwater vehicles

Paris-based Thales and robotics and autonomy specialists Exail have been selected by the French defence procurement agency, the Direction Generale pour l’Armement (DGA), to deliver eight new Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUV) with an option to acquire a further eight.

The extended version of Exail’s existing long-range and stealthy A18-M AUV will integrate the SAMDIS 600 sonar for the SLAMF program, the French Armed forces program, supervised by the DGA, which aims at renewing the French Navy mine warfare capabilities with massive use of unmanned systems. The A18-M AUV was part of Exail’s offering to the RAN under the recently cancelled Project SEA1905.

“Mine Countermeasures is among the first military fields to fully transition to third-generation MCM capabilities with autonomous, drone-based systems. This is the core mission of the SLAMF programme, and Exail, a specialist in naval drones, is proud to contribute with its extended version of the A18-M AUV,” said Jérome Bendell, CEO of Exail Maritime Business Line. “This collaboration underscores our commitment to delivering cutting-edge technology that meets the highest standards of performance and safety for modern naval defence.”

Thales’s new compact SAMDIS sonar is optimised for the detection of all naval mine threats, down to deeper waters. Featuring an advanced multi-view capability which the company says is unique, it captures images from multiple angles in a single pass. Integrated with the MiMAP sonar data analysis software and AI-driven algorithms, the SAMDIS 600 achieves exceptionally high detection and classification probabilities, delivering superior performance, which increases operational tempo and efficiency, says Exail.

“The proliferation of sea mines and their sophistication make data collection and advanced analysis all the more necessary to counter these terrible threats,” said Gwendoline Blandin-Roger, VP Underwater Systems Business Line, Thales. “Today, autonomous mine countermeasures systems offer greater efficiency, while protecting crews from the dangers of minefields. With the new SAMDIS 600 procured in the frame of the SLAMF, the most innovative mine countermeasure program, Thales is proud to help operators in their decision-making for the benefit of their missions.”

With its long-range precision and stealth and its ability to operate in challenging environments, says Exail, the A-18M AUV is a sea-proven vehicle. Exail is responsible for developing the AUV’s fully autonomous capabilities and integrating the SAMDIS sonar technology, working closely with Thales.