Surface naval drone with sonar delivered to French Navy by Thales
NewsNovember 07, 2025
PARIS, France. Thales delivered a surface naval drone equipped with a towed sonar system to the French Navy as part of the Franco-British Maritime Mine Counter Measures program (MMCM), the company announced in a statement.
The unmanned surface vehicle (USV) includes the TSAM towed sonar and onboard SAMDIS multi-view sonar, systems intended to support mine detection and reduce personnel exposure in hazardous environments, the statement reads. It follows an initial production delivery in December 2024 that included the drone, AI-enabled data analysis software, and the M-Cube mission system, according to the company.
Thales says the platform is designed to enhance naval mine countermeasure operations and has undergone more than 3,000 hours of sea trials conducted by the French and U.K. navies. The system also integrates cybersecurity protections and a communication architecture approved for sensitive operations, the company says.
Developed in collaboration with Couach shipyard, the updated surface drones incorporate feedback from prototype evaluations conducted since 2021 to meet operational requirements, the statement adds.
