Sonobuoy pact signed between U.K. MoD and Ultra Maritime

News

February 02, 2026

The Ultra Maritime announcement of the contract states that sonobuoys act as the frontline sensors of the U.K.’s anti-submarine warfare (ASW) network and enable the U.K. navy to detect, track, and deter hostile submarines and other underwater vessels. The Royal Navy’s Merlin helicopter force -- based at naval air station Culdrose in Cornwall -- is continually deployed as an ASW asset with its Merlin Mk2 aircraft to defend U.K. waters and international defense interests.

Capt. James Hall, the commanding officer of RNAS Culdrose, said, “Our anti-submarine capability is essential to protect Royal Navy submarines and the U.K.’s nuclear deterrent. The capability offered using sonobuoys forms an essential part of the toolkit used to identify, track, and deter submarine threats. It is not an exaggeration to say that Merlin Helicopter Force – combining its aircraft, its sensors and equipment, and the crews’ extensive tactical training – is a world leader in anti-submarine warfare.

“Central to this capability is the tactical use of sonobuoys which our aircraft can deploy in-flight. Ultimately, the Merlin can be armed with Sting Ray torpedoes to eliminate that threat, if necessary,” continued Capt. Hall. “We face an increasingly uncertain and contested world, which includes ever evolving threats to our critical undersea national infrastructure. Our control of the subsurface maritime environment is a key pillar of the Royal Navy’s ability to confront global threats and ensure operational success as we defend the nation.”