Thales has delivered the first serial production system of mine countermeasure drones to the French Navy.
The delivery is a part of the Franco-British MMCM programme, which is directed by the French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA) and managed by the Organisation Conjointe de Coopération en matière d’Armement (OCCAR).
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The MMCM programme aims to provide an interoperable mine countermeasure capability.
It will inform future decisions on replacing existing Mine Counter Measure Vessels and the potential life-cycle cost benefits of new mine countermeasure delivery methods.
The system provided to the French Navy comprises an uncrewed surface vehicle (USV) equipped with the towed sonar TSAM for mine detection and classification.
It is claimed to be the world’s first autonomous surface drone system in service with a navy.
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By GlobalDataIt can be operated from land, a mother ship, or an opportunistic vessel, reducing the risk to crew members during mine countermeasure missions.
The 12 metre USV is air transportable, designed for rapid deployment, and compatible with the future Mine Warfare Vessel (BGDM).
As part of the SLAMF programme, France will receive six USVs in 2025, with three system-of-systems, each comprising two USVs, in addition to the prototype system already delivered and updated.
The British Royal Navy is set to receive four system-of-systems, each with one USV, during the same year.
Thales Defence Mission Systems executive vice-president Philippe Duhamel said: “The United Kingdom and France have set an ambitious goal: to transform their mine countermeasure capabilities by adopting new disruptive operational concepts.
“Thales is proud to be at the heart of this transformation, which positions both nations as pioneers in autonomous naval systems. Our Group, a world leader in mine countermeasures, reaffirms its position as an innovative and reliable partner that navies can count on to develop their strategic capabilities.”
Thales, serving as the systems provider and integrator for the MMCM programme, offers a suite of solutions including the SAMDIS multi-view sonar and the portable e-POC operations centre.
In 2024, Thales conducted at-sea trials of an integrated drone-based system, demonstrating a drone-based mine countermeasures capability to both the UK Royal Navy and the French Navy.
