Sonar 2150 passes first-of-class sea acceptance trial

The UK Royal Navy (RN) Type 23 frigate HMS Portland has completed first-of-class sea acceptance trials (SATs) of Ultra Electronics' Sonar 2150 bow-mounted medium-frequency sonar.

Ultra Electronics' Sonar 2150 bow-mounted medium-frequency sonar is planned to equip the RN's eight ASW-roled Type 23 frigates. (Crown Copyright)

Undertaken over a number of days in June, the SATs period saw the Sonar 2150 system perform detection and tracking on a submerged target. “Despite somewhat challenging weather conditions, the trials team [on Portland ] successfully proved both active and passive performance in conjunction with Royal Navy personnel,” said Ultra in a 30 July statement. Further performance proving activities are planned later in the year.

Ultra Electronics is delivering the Sonar 2150 programme under a GBP27 million (USD37.6 million) contract awarded by the UK Ministry of Defence in late 2014. Replacing the legacy Thales Sonar 2050 bow sonar, the new system is to equip the RN's eight anti-submarine warfare (ASW)-roled Type 23 frigates (comprising Kent , Northumberland , Portland , Richmond , Somerset , St Albans , Sutherland , and Westminster ). These ships are already fitted with the long-range Thales Sonar 2087 low-frequency active/passive variable depth sonar system.

The full scope of Ultra's contract covers the design and development of the Sonar 2150 system, installation and testing on the eight ships, and the provision of in-service support for a five-year period following first-of-class acceptance. The new system will provide active and passive ASW surveillance and classification, automatic torpedo detection, mine and obstacle avoidance, and automatic marine mammal detection.

Portland