Thales' SonoFlash combined active/passive A-size sonobuoy is on track to achieve formal qualification at the beginning of 2025. (Thales)
Thales' new SonoFlash combined active/passive A-size sonobuoy is nearing completion of its qualification trials, the Direction Générale de l'Armement (DGA), the French armaments procurement agency, said.
Speaking to reporters ahead of the Euronaval 2024 exhibition running from 4 to 7 November in Paris, Clément Foucaud, manager for buoys at the DGA, said SonoFlash was on track to be fully qualified at the beginning of 2025.
The qualification trials phase will officially conclude with a final end-to-end test of the sonobuoy from one of the French Navy's Atlantique 2 maritime patrol aircraft (MPAs), which is scheduled to take place in the coming month, Foucaud said.
Formal qualification of SonoFlash will pave the way to deliver the first operational batch to the French Navy for operational evaluation from early 2025. The first platform to be installed with SonoFlash will be the navy's modernised Atlantique 2 MPAs, followed by its NH90 Caiman shipborne helicopters.
Foucaud said the first batch of sonobuoys is being delivered under a low-rate initial production (LRIP) contract. Production of additional batches is planned and will take place under separate contracts negotiated with the French Navy according to its requirements, he said.
In parallel, Thales has been actively promoting SonoFlash to the export market. The company is looking to secure contracts from 2025, with a view to delivering the first orders from 2026.
Olivier Ageorges, operational adviser for airborne anti-submarine warfare (ASW) at Thales, said a number of countries had shown interest in SonoFlash, and the company expected to start customer demonstrations as soon as the French Navy has achieved initial operating capability of the platform.
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