Mine Countermeasures: Protecting the frontline mine hunters who keep our oceans safe

Today's mine countermeasures environment

More than 90 per cent of the world’s goods are transported by sea. At the same time, it has never been easier to close strategic choke points or disrupt sea lanes with mines.

There is an ongoing problem of legacy mines from the World Wars and Cold War era in parts of the world. In addition, mines with very low target strength are being developed, new materials and casing design making them increasingly difficult to detect.  In other areas, less sophisticated mines are still being laid in ever greater numbers.

Thales in the UK’s Underwater Systems business leads the way in maintaining existing mine-hunting sensors. We are also harnessing ‘novel’ data technologies that can differentiate modern mines from natural features and debris in our increasingly congested oceans.

Thales in the UK and the Royal Navy

Thales in the UK continues to foster the close relationship with the Royal Navy (RN) that began in the early days of sonar-based mine hunting technology. We are now established as the principal and trusted supplier of MCM sensors to the RN.

Our primary sensor products are critical to the mine warfare role of the Sandown and Hunt Class mine countermeasures vessels and have been employed in operational theatres.

We have developed a close relationship with the RN at sea and Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) staff on the waterfront through the Maritime Sensor Enhancement Team programme within which Thales in the UK supports all RN sonar systems.

We also maintain an ongoing conversation with the RN around meeting future requirements with new capabilities. We host a biannual Mine Warfare Users’ Club for our customers worldwide at which the RN takes a leading role providing an opportunity to listen both to users and decision-makers.

Current systems, new capabilities

Thales in the UK has been at the forefront of mine countermeasures sensor technology for more than 50 years. Our current market-leading products, 2093 variable depth and 2193 hull mounted sonar systems, form the backbone of mine countermeasures systems in naval forces in Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

Responding to emerging threats, 2093 has been upgraded to introduce wideband technology under the Capability Sustainment Programme (CSP) enabling enhanced detection of lower target strength mines.

Developing mine countermeasures capability

While Thales in the UK continues to improve on existing products, we are also developing entirely new solutions aimed at making the mine-hunting task safer and more effective for frontline operators.

Maritime Mine Countermeasures Programme (MMCM)

MMCM is a world first, a “system of systems” offering a mission package of integrated assets including sensors, uncrewed surface and underwater vessels, communications, command and control (C2) and neutralisation systems. 

Thales delivered the world’s first autonomous mine hunting system to the Royal Navy in March 2025. This historical milestone was developed through OCCAR (Organisation for Joint Armament Co-operation) as part of the Franco-British MMCM (Maritime Mine Counter Measures) project. 

Mine countermeasures and Hydrography Capability (MHC)

Thales in the UK plays a leading role in developing this capability for the Royal Navy, pulling through the MMCM system architecture to integrate both MCM and hydrographic functions into an autonomous solution that will eventually replace the RN’s manned platforms.

M-CUBE

Thales in the UK’s MCM Command and Control (C2) system integrates conventional and autonomous MCM systems, with a full mission planning, execution and evaluation capability.

Collaboration at Turnchapel Wharf

Thales in the UK’s first waterfront Systems Integration Facility. The refurbished site in Plymouth offers easy access to deep water trials areas and is close to the RN’s hydrography and sea training community as well as potential partners. Thales’s Turnchapel Wharf facility plays a vital role, promoting collaboration with customers, industry and academia, in the UK’s national centre for marine autonomy, Plymouth. 
Plymouth was officially recognised by the Defence Minister in June 2025 as the National Centre for Marine Autonomy, solidifying its role as a hub for maritime innovation.

Thales and MCM: reducing the risk for sailors

Through a continuing tradition of technological innovation and close cooperation with the end user, Thales in the UK delivers mine countermeasures sensor systems with the purpose of reducing the risks faced by those frontline sailors who put themselves in harm’s way to make the world’s oceans safer for seafarers and protect the global economy.