Euronaval 2024: Thales & Exail to equip French Navy with next-gen Autonomous Underwater Vehicles for mine detection.

According to a PR published by Exail on November 7, 2024, the French firm and Thales have been awarded a contract by the French defense procurement agency (DGA) to deliver a new generation of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) to the French Navy under the SLAMF Mine Countermeasures (MCM) program. The partnership aims to deliver an initial eight AUVs, with the option to supply an additional eight units.
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A model of the A18-M Autonomous Underwater Vehicle at Euronaval 2024. (Picture source: Army Recognition)

This advanced AUV, based on an extended version of Exail’s proven A18-M platform, will integrate Thales’s state-of-the-art SAMDIS 600 sonar. Specifically designed for the detection and classification of maritime mines, this sonar enhances operational capabilities in the increasingly complex maritime environment. The SAMDIS 600, optimized for detecting all types of naval mine threats down to deep-sea levels, features a unique multi-view functionality, capturing high-resolution imagery from various angles in a single pass, which ensures more comprehensive and accurate scans of the seabed.

SAMDIS 600’s capabilities are enhanced through MiMAP software and AI-driven algorithms, providing high detection and classification probabilities that increase operational tempo and efficiency. With the integration of SAMDIS 600, the AUVs can autonomously detect and classify mines with greater accuracy and speed, minimizing risk to naval personnel and assets.

Exail’s A18-M AUV brings to the table advanced autonomy and adaptability, capable of operating efficiently in challenging and potentially contested environments. Known for its stealth and precision, the A18-M is engineered to operate over extended ranges and deliver reliable, uninterrupted performance. Exail has focused on enhancing the AUV’s autonomous capabilities to ensure the smooth integration of SAMDIS sonar technology in collaboration with Thales.

Together, Thales and Exail will integrate the AUVs and sonar systems into the MMCM (Maritime Mine Countermeasures) toolbox, a comprehensive suite of unmanned MCM tools provided by Thales. This solution is anticipated to streamline the French Navy's mine countermeasure missions, securing underwater spaces from a wide range of mine threats.

SLAM-F

Initiated in 2015, SLAM-F is designed to replace the aging Éridan-class minehunters with advanced technologies and unmanned systems. The program emphasizes the use of cutting-edge unmanned surface vehicles (USVs), autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) for detecting, classifying, and neutralizing naval mines.

Central to SLAM-F are six new mine warfare vessels, known as Bâtiments de Guerre des Mines (BGDM), which will function as operational hubs for deploying and managing unmanned systems. Additionally, the program includes five new-generation diver support vessels, Bâtiments Base Plongeurs Démineurs Nouvelle Génération (BBPD NG), which will facilitate diving operations for mine clearance. The program will also implement a Mine Warfare Data Processing System (SEDGM) to analyze and manage data collected during operations, streamlining mission planning and decision-making.