UK advances anti-submarine warfare with new sonobuoy trial in Scotland
Ultra Maritime successfully completed the first in-water deployment trial of its next-generation Multistatic Active Receive Sonobuoy (MSARS) in Scotland. This milestone enhances UK anti-submarine warfare capabilities amid rising Russian submarine activity in the North Atlantic. The G-size sonobuoy improves detection of submarines and unmanned underwater vehicles. Ultra Maritime is collaborating with General Atomics to integrate MSARS onto the MQ-9B SeaGuardian platform. The trial supports the UK's Atlantic Bastion programme, which aims to scale autonomous ASW capabilities for both crewed and uncrewed platforms.
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Ultra Maritime trials next-gen sub-hunting sonobuoy in UK
Ultra Maritime has completed the first in-water trial of its next-generation Multistatic Active Receive Sonobuoy (MSARS) in Scotland, marking a milestone for British anti-submarine warfare. The system is designed to improve detection and localization of Russian submarines and unmanned underwater vehicles in the North Atlantic, where submarine activity is increasing. MSARS uses separate sources and receivers to build a clearer underwater picture. Ultra Maritime is working with General Atomics to integrate the sonobuoy onto the MQ-9B SeaGuardian drone, leveraging its position as the only manufacturer of G-size sonobuoys suited for unmanned aircraft. The trial was sponsored by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory and supports the Atlantic Bastion programme, which aims to scale up autonomous anti-submarine capabilities alongside crewed platforms like the Merlin Mk2 helicopter.
UK Defence JournalUltra Maritime trials next-generation sub-hunting sonobuoy in UK
Ultra Maritime has completed the first in-water deployment trial of its next-generation Multistatic Active Receive Sonobuoy (MSARS) in Scotland. The system is designed to improve detection and localization of Russian submarines and unmanned underwater vehicles in the North Atlantic, where increased Russian submarine activity has heightened the need for advanced anti-submarine warfare capabilities. The sonobuoy uses a multistatic approach with separate sources and receivers for clearer underwater sensing. Ultra Maritime is collaborating with General Atomics to integrate MSARS and other G-size sonobuoys onto the MQ-9B SeaGuardian uncrewed aircraft, aiming to extend operational reach and payload capacity. The trial was sponsored by the UK Defence Science and Technology Laboratory and supports the Atlantic Bastion programme, which seeks to scale up autonomous anti-submarine operations while enhancing crewed platforms like the Merlin Mk2 helicopter.
UK Defence JournalUltra Maritime completes first in-water MSARS sonobuoy trial in Scotland
Ultra Maritime has successfully completed the first in-water deployment trial of its Multistatic Active Receive Sonobuoy (MSARS) in Scotland, marking a significant advancement in anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capabilities for the UK. The G-size sonobuoy is designed to improve detection and localization of threat submarines and uncrewed underwater vehicles, operating from both crewed and uncrewed platforms including rotary and fixed-wing UAS. The trial follows a Preliminary Design Review in March 2025 under a UK Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) research programme, part of the Atlantic Bastion initiative to expand autonomous ASW capability. Ultra Maritime is collaborating with General Atomics to integrate MSARS onto the MQ-9B SeaGuardian platform, aiming to enhance operational reach and distributed multistatic operations. In February 2026, the UK Ministry of Defence awarded Ultra Maritime a £40 million contract for sonobuoys to equip Royal Navy Merlin helicopters.
Naval TechnologyUltra Maritime completes first in-water MSARS sonobuoy trial in Scotland
Ultra Maritime has successfully completed the first in-water deployment trial of its Multistatic Active Receive Sonobuoy (MSARS) in Scotland. The trial marks a key milestone in the development of this advanced anti-submarine warfare sensor, which is designed to enhance detection capabilities in naval operations. The MSARS system is part of Ultra Maritime's broader portfolio of sonobuoy technologies aimed at improving underwater surveillance and threat detection for allied navies. The specific location and date of the trial were not disclosed, but the successful deployment validates the system's readiness for further testing and potential operational use.
Naval TechnologyUltra Maritime completes first in-water MSARS sonobuoy trial in Scotland
Ultra Maritime has successfully completed the first in-water deployment trial of its Multistatic Active Receive Sonobuoy (MSARS) in Scotland, marking a significant advancement in anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capabilities for the UK. The MSARS is a compact G-Size sonobuoy designed to enhance detection and localization of submarines and uncrewed underwater vehicles, operating from both crewed and uncrewed platforms including rotary and fixed-wing uncrewed air systems. The trial follows a Preliminary Design Review in March 2025, funded by the UK Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) under the Atlantic Bastion programme. Ultra Maritime is collaborating with General Atomics to integrate MSARS onto the MQ-9B SeaGuardian platform to expand operational reach. In February 2025, the UK Ministry of Defence awarded a £40 million contract to Ultra Maritime for sonobuoys to equip Royal Navy Merlin helicopters.
Naval TechnologyUltra Maritime Progresses with New Multistatic Active Receive Sonobuoy
Ultra Maritime has successfully completed the first in-water deployment trial of its next-generation Multistatic Active Receive Sonobuoy (MSARS) in Scotland. This milestone advances UK anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capabilities amid increasing Russian submarine activity in the North Atlantic. MSARS is designed to improve detection and localization of threat submarines and unmanned underwater vehicles. To accelerate deployment, Ultra Maritime is collaborating with General Atomics to integrate MSARS and other G-size sonobuoys onto the MQ-9B SeaGuardian platform, enabling unmanned aerial system operations. Developed under the sponsorship of the UK Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), MSARS supports the Atlantic Bastion programme, which aims to scale autonomous ASW capabilities for both uncrewed air systems and crewed platforms like the Merlin Mk2.
Naval NewsUltra Maritime Progresses with New Multistatic Active Receive Sonobuoy
Ultra Maritime has successfully completed the first in-water deployment trial of its next-generation Multistatic Active Receive Sonobuoy (MSARS) in Scotland, marking a significant milestone in advancing anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capabilities for the UK. Amid increasing Russian submarine activity in the North Atlantic, MSARS is designed to improve detection and localization of threat submarines and unmanned underwater vehicles. To accelerate operational deployment, Ultra Maritime is collaborating with General Atomics to integrate MSARS and other G-size sonobuoys onto the MQ-9B SeaGuardian platform, enabling greater flexibility and persistence in contested maritime environments. Developed under the sponsorship of the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), MSARS supports the Atlantic Bastion programme, which aims to scale autonomous ASW capabilities for uncrewed air systems and enhance crewed platforms like the Merlin Mk2. This achievement represents a key step in Ultra Maritime's broader strategy to transform ASW across air, surface, and undersea domains.
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