SonoFlash: a breakthrough Sonobuoy

A powerful, lightweight buoy that delivers operational superiority

Anti submarine warfare
Defence
Naval

SonoFlash’s powerful active and passive sensors, easy deployment and interoperability give wide-area coverage and extended detection ranges – delivering a step change in anti-submarine warfare.

STRENGTHS OF SONOFLASH

Extended detection range

SonoFlash combines active and passive antennas for superior maritime performance. Its low-frequency transmission antenna enables detection in shallow and deep waters, while its receiving antenna allows the detection of stealth submarines across a wide frequency range.
Multistatic capability

SonoFlash, due to its multistatic capability, offers interoperability with other acoustic sensors. This sonar ensures wide coverage and allows remote configuration, providing operational flexibility and enhanced resources for collaborative combat.
Operational superiority

SonoFlash’s powerful design requires less sonobuoys per mission. This, in combination with more performance for the same deployed weight, rapid and secure data transmission and full interoperability make a solid contribution to navies operational superiority.

SonoFlash: extended range and wider coverage

SonoFlash offers navies a breakthrough solution: with powerful active and passive arrays, it delivers superior performance. Interoperable with many platforms, it iseasily deployed, particularly on uncrewed vehicles, for multistatic, wide-area coverage. Combined with powerful processing systems, SonoFlash can significantly enhance the effectiveness of navies anti-submarine warfare operations by providing a superior detection range.

Navies are countering the ever-evolving threat from submarines by enhancing their underwater detection capabilities – and are increasingly looking to Thales for innovations that meet their needs. SonoFlash revolutionises anti-submarine warfare, providing monostatic and multistatic capabilities in a high-performance sonobuoy that can be easily deployed over wide areas.

SONOFLASH CAPABILITIES

SonoFlash is fully interoperable with Thales’s CAPTAS variable-depth sonars, FLASH dipping sonar, BlueTracker processing software, and BlueScan acoustic data fusion system. This interoperability is crucial for effective collaborative and multistatic anti-submarine warfare, helping navies better counter today’s underwater threats.

SonoFlash’s easy deployment enhances mission flexibility. It can be deployed from maritime patrol aircraft, helicopters, or uncrewed aerial vehicles. This enables navies to select the best platform for tactical flexibility, depending on the required operational efficiency. SonoFlash can be operated by multiple platforms at the same time, achieving wide multistatic coverage.

SonoFlash transmits the collected data in real time, turning it into actionable intelligence. Its digital link and optimized communications send data to any surface ship, aircraft, or acoustic support center with sonobuoy processing. Advanced software like Thales’s BlueTracker fuses this with other acoustic sensors, delivering full situational awareness when combined with BlueScan.

SonoFlash incorporates future-focused features, ensuring long-term value for navies. Compliant with NATO standards, it is compatible with conventional anti-submarine warfare (ASW) platforms. Designed for uncrewed vehicles, SonoFlash anticipates the rapid growth of this market, maintaining operational compatibility and flexibility.

French Navy strengthens ASW capabilities with SonoFlash sonobuoy

The French Navy chose Thales's SonoFlash sonobuoy, combining active and passive features for enhanced acoustic sensor capabilities against evolving submarine threats.