Click here - to select or create a menu

Naval News

  • News
  • Event News
    • Indo Pacific 2022
    • Sea Air Space 2022
    • DIMDEX 2022
    • WDS 2022
    • DSEI 2021
    • MADEX 2021
  • Interviews
  • Videos
  • Advertising
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
Home» News»Leonardo’s ULISSES submarine-hunting acoustic system passes sea trials
Euronaval 2022
Leonardo picture

Leonardo’s ULISSES submarine-hunting acoustic system passes sea trials

Leonardo’s ULISSES system was used to automatically locate a number of simulated submarines in a live trials exercise. Ultra Electronics provides the software capability for the ULISSES system to provide accurate target location from up to 64 sonobuoys and/or dipping sonars. The successful trials mean that development is on-track to finish this year, with production starting in 2020.

Xavier Vavasseur 15 Nov 2019

Leonardo press release

Leonardo has proven the submarine-hunting capabilities of its new ULISSES acoustic sensor system in a live sea trial off the coast of Italy, meaning that development is on track for completion by the end of 2019. Production will now take place in 2020 for deliveries the same year and Leonardo is in talks with a number of potential domestic and international customers.

ULISSES (Ultra-LIght SonicS Enhanced System) is an integrated acoustic sensor system designed to ‘listen’ for hostile submarines and determine their locations. Uniquely in the market, ULISSES incorporates ‘multistatic’ functionality, where the processor collects and exploits data from up to 64 distributed sonobuoys or dipping sonar sensors, which are processed in parallel. It then uses the multiple sources of information to triangulate the location of potentially hostile vessels. Leonardo announced the development of the acoustic system, in partnership with Ultra Electronics (providing miniaturised sonobuoys and multistatic technology) and L3 Technologies (providing dipping sonar), at the 2018 Farnborough Air Show. The system is now available to order.

The recent sea trials proved the benefits of ULISSES multistatic capabilities in a realistic naval environment. They began with Leonardo deploying various types of Ultra Electronics supplied sonobuoys, including some with GPS, from a ship. The ULISSES processor was then used to quickly and accurately locate a number of simulated under-sea targets, automatically marking their coordinates on a map on the operator’s workstation. The success of the trials means that development of the system is on track to wrap up by the end of December, with production ready to start next year. 

Since its launch last year, ULISSES has generated interest due to its light weight (< 20 kg including its processor, transmitter, receiver and recorder), which makes it suitable for even very small unmanned aircraft and helicopters. ULISSES is also ideal for the retrofit market, where it can be affordably installed in place of an existing sonics system, reducing the overall weight. Other advantages include the ability to draw on a range of sensor inputs including GPS-enabled sonobuoys, active and passive sonobuoys and dipping sonar. Designed for ease of use and reduced operator workload, ULISSES can provide automatic tracking and alerts, provide video up to full HD quality and can control sonobuoys remotely using CFS (Command Function System) commands.

ASW Leonardo Sonar 2019-11-15
Tags ASW Leonardo Sonar
Facebook Twitter Stumble linkedin Pinterest More

Authors

Posted by : Xavier Vavasseur
Xavier is based in Paris, France. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Management Information Systems and a Master of Business Administration from Florida Institute of Technology (FIT). Xavier has been covering naval defense topics for nearly a decade.

Related Articles

ASW Suite Integrated with MSubs’ XLUUV

ASW Suite Integrated with MSubs’ XLUUV

Naval News Staff 19 May 2022
SEA successfully completed another series of operational demonstrations of its Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) solution Krait Defence System aboard MSubs' XLUUV...
Finnish Navy Trains ASW with Swedish Submarine

Finnish Navy Trains ASW with Swedish Submarine

Naval News Staff 22 Apr 2022
This week, the Finnish and Swedish Navies conducted a joint anti-submarine warfare (ASW) exercise in the Gulf of Finland.
Leonardo to deliver next stage of AW159 Wildcat Support contract

Leonardo to deliver next stage of AW159 Wildcat Support contract

Naval News Staff 06 Apr 2022
Leonardo will deliver the next stage of the Wildcat Integrated Support and Training (WIST) contract, which confirms the next five-year period of the 34-year contract originally signed in 2012.

Advertisement

Legal / Privacy Policy
About Us
Contact Us

Copyright © 2022 Naval News
All Rights Reserved