Kraken Receives Synthetic Aperture Sonar Order from NATO CMRE

Kraken Robotics Inc. received an order from NATO Science and Technology Organization (STO) Centre for Maritime Research and Experimentation (CMRE) for a Miniature Synthetic Aperture Sonar (MINSAS) System. The order followed an openly competed tender process and was delivered in Q4.

Kraken’s MINSAS was selected having met CMRE’s rigorous requirements for a robust, broadband Synthetic Aperture Sonar. Kraken’s MINSAS will be integrated onto a NATO CMRE’s Uncrewed Underwater Vehicle (UUV), where it will also support advanced Artificial Intelligence capabilities such as Automated Target Recognition (ATR).

About Kraken SAS

Kraken’s Miniature Synthetic Aperture Sonar (MINSAS) is an off the shelf, configurable SAS that replaces high end sidescan systems at an affordable price, while delivering higher resolution, range, and area coverage rates (ACR). The increased range, resolution, and therefore higher useable ACR of SAS over traditional Side Scan Sonar systems significantly expand the capabilities of naval, scientific, and commercial applications. Kraken’s MINSAS is capable of 2 cm x 2 cm Ultra High-Definition SAS imaging at long ranges, while also being uniquely positioned within the industry to bring this capability to the increasingly popular man-portable (small-sized) vehicle class.

Kraken has extensive experience working with AUV manufacturers to ensure proper integration of our MINSAS into a variety of AUVs from small to large diameter. We have sold over 50 AUV-based MINSAS sensors on more than 20 different models of underwater vehicle platforms from shallow (<10 m) water to full ocean depth (6000 meters). As a testament to the rapidly increasing adoption of SAS, almost half of these sales have been in the last 2 years.

A modular and versatile sensor for seabed intelligence, Kraken’s SAS is field-proven by being one of only two companies in the world that has delivered and integrated SAS into man portable vehicles (small-sized), towed systems, and deep-water vehicles. This ability to use the same sensor across several platforms enables military customers to streamline their Post Mission Analysis by having the same sonar resolution and ATR performance across their entire fleet of vehicles and mission requirements.

SAS not only provides higher resolution data, but also provides more complex acoustic information than traditional sidescan sensors, which may enable end users to develop more intelligent processing capabilities for advanced object detection and classification.

About NATO CMRE

The Centre for Maritime Research and Experimentation is an established, world-class scientific research and experimentation facility that organizes and conducts scientific research and technology development, centred on the maritime domain, delivering innovative and field-tested Science & Technology (S&T) solutions to address defence and security needs of the Alliance and the Nations. The CMRE is an executive body of NATO's Science and Technology Organization (STO). Located in La Spezia (Italy), the CMRE is built on more than 60 years of experience in its former establishments as the NURC and SACLANTCEN and has produced a cadre of leaders in ocean science, modelling and simulation, acoustics and other disciplines, as well as producing critical results and understanding that have been built into the operational concepts of NATO and the Nations.