Ocius Integrates ThayerMahan and Thales Sonar Arrays on Bluebottle USV Fleet

Ocius Technology has signed agreements to integrate advanced sonar systems from ThayerMahan and Thales Australia across its fleet of Australian-made Bluebottle uncrewed surface vessels. The systems include retractable thin-line acoustic arrays supporting persistent surveillance for the Royal Australian Navy and Maritime Border Command. Under the Navy's SEA1200 programme, Ocius awarded ThayerMahan a contract for 40 acoustic intelligence payloads, in what the company describes as the largest fielded deployments of persistent above-water and below-water surveillance undersea warfare missions in the world to date.

 

Details of the Agreements

 

Ocius has signed significant integration agreements. These cover advanced sonar systems from two providers. The providers are ThayerMahan and Thales Australia. The systems will be integrated across its Bluebottle fleet. These are Australian-made uncrewed surface vessels.

The systems serve demanding surveillance roles. They include fully retractable thin-line acoustic arrays. These support persistent surface and subsurface surveillance. This covers intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. The arrays are central to the vessels' capabilities.

 

The Royal Australian Navy Programme

 

The agreements support a major naval programme. They form part of the Navy's recent 176 million dollar Program of Record. This falls under the SEA1200 programme to combat undersea threats. Ocius awarded ThayerMahan a contract under this. The contract covers 40 acoustic intelligence payloads.

The payloads deliver advanced sensing capabilities. They include anti-submarine warfare-capable sensing systems. Accompanying processing software supports the payloads. These deploy in a distributed surveillance architecture. This detects, localises and tracks contacts of interest for operators.

 

The Maritime Border Command Role

 

A second strand supports border operations. Ocius selected Thales Australia's arrays for this purpose. These are Australian-manufactured thin-line arrays. They include accompanying acoustic processing capabilities. They will be integrated onto the Bluebottle vessels.

These systems serve ongoing border missions. They support operations to the north of Australia. This includes long-endurance maritime surveillance. The aim is to protect Australia's borders and maritime interests. This complements the naval surveillance role.

 

Read More: Kongsberg Launches Aegir Subsea Situational Awareness Sonars

 

The Adaptable Platform

 

The Bluebottle is designed for flexibility. It features a payload-agnostic architecture. This includes the keel, winch and payload bay. This allows arrays from different providers to be integrated. Systems can be configured for specific mission requirements.

This adaptability is central to the approach. Company leadership described the vessel as a payload delivery platform. Different missions require different solutions. Integrating complementary systems meets varied needs. This provides customers with the most effective technology suite.

 

Testing and Validation

 

The selection followed rigorous evaluation. The company tested technologies extensively at sea. It assessed them against real operational requirements. This included comprehensive operational testing. Navy-controlled validation formed part of the process.

The evaluation was notably thorough. It involved extended deployments under mission conditions. It also compared four thin-line array providers. This rigorous process informed the final selection. It ensured the chosen systems met operational needs.

 

Significance and International Cooperation

 

The agreements carry considerable significance. They represent the largest fielded deployments of their kind. This covers persistent above-water and below-water surveillance. These support undersea warfare missions worldwide. This positions the deployment at a global scale.

The agreements also demonstrate international cooperation. The ThayerMahan collaboration reflects AUKUS Pillar II in practice. It combines Australian autonomous technology with US sensing capabilities. The vessels are manufactured in Sydney, supporting sovereign capability. Officials framed this as Australian innovation strengthening national maritime awareness.