Kongsberg Launches Aegir Subsea Situational Awareness Sonars

Kongsberg has launched Aegir SSA, a new family of sonars designed to improve maritime security, safety and navigation through continuous underwater awareness. Unveiled at ONS 2026 in Stavanger, the range meets growing demand for situational awareness around ports, critical infrastructure and offshore assets. Built on more than 80 years of sonar experience, the scalable system spans deployment from small uncrewed vessels and buoys to fixed installations, supported by an AI-powered virtual sonar operator service.

 

Details of the Launch

 

Kongsberg has introduced a new sonar product family. It launched Aegir SSA, standing for Subsea Situational Awareness. The system is designed to improve maritime security and safety. It also aims to enhance navigation. It achieves this through continuous underwater awareness.

The launch took place at a major industry event. The range was unveiled at ONS 2026 in Stavanger. It represents a new generation of commercial sonar solutions. These were developed to meet a growing need. That need is for situational awareness around maritime assets.

 

The Underlying Need

 

The system addresses growing maritime security concerns. Maritime infrastructure is increasingly important to energy security. It also matters for transportation and offshore operations. National resilience depends on such infrastructure too. Operators need better visibility below the waterline.

Certain environments present particular challenges. Ports, harbours and coastal areas are demanding settings. They feature high traffic density and shallow waters. Drifting objects and potential unauthorised activity add risks. These often remain hidden from conventional monitoring systems.

 

The System's Capabilities

 

The system builds on extensive sonar heritage. It draws on more than 80 years of sonar experience. It combines acoustic technology with compact form factors. Simplified integration is another key feature. Scalable deployment options complete its design.

The deployment flexibility is notable. The system can be deployed on various platforms. These range from small uncrewed surface vessels and buoys. Fixed installations are also supported. Larger maritime platforms complete the range of options.

 

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The AI Operator Service

 

A distinctive feature is the AI capability. Kongsberg offers an AI-powered virtual sonar operator service. This enables operation without continuous human involvement. It reduces the burden on human operators. This is central to the Aegir concept.

The AI can be tailored to specific needs. It can be configured for particular missions. Customers' own operators can train the system. This allows it to retain operational knowledge. It applies that knowledge in ongoing operations.

 

Demonstration and Deployment

 

The system has been demonstrated ahead of launch. Kongsberg collaborated with Fugro for this. It deployed the system on a SEAWATCH buoy. This was connected to the Oslofjord Testbed. The demonstration showed continuous protection of maritime assets.

Live demonstrations formed part of the launch. Visitors to the event could view a live data feed. This came from an operational installation in the Oslofjord. The system was integrated on Fugro's buoy platform. This combined persistent monitoring with real-time data delivery.

 

Market Context

 

The launch responds to growing market demand. Kongsberg cited increasing demand for infrastructure protection. Earlier this year, it announced two major contracts. These reflected demand for integrated monitoring and protection. Both concerned critical maritime infrastructure.

These contracts illustrate the broader trend. One covers surveillance of Princess Elisabeth Island in the North Sea. This includes drone detection radar and vessel traffic services. The other focuses on underwater surveillance for an unnamed customer. Together they underline the market for such systems.