Canadian firm Kraken Robotics has accomplished deliveries and sea acceptance checks of all programs for its minehunting sonar tools underneath the contract with Royal Danish Navy.
The contract was signed in September 2020, following a aggressive bidding course of. Below the contract with the Danish Ministry of Defence Acquisition and Logistics Group (DALO), Kraken has delivered 4 full turnkey minehunting programs.
Every system consists of a KATFISH towed Artificial Aperture Sonar, Tentacle Winch and Autonomous Launch and Restoration System (ALARS), topside command and management tools, and distant operation and monitoring functionality for standoff minehunting operations.
Beginning in 2022, the KATFISH minehunting programs had been built-in onboard the Royal Danish Navy’s optionally uncrewed floor vessels (USVs), the MSF-class.
Kraken labored intently with MCM Denmark operators and workshop technicians in addition to expert native Danish shipyard, JOBI, to put in Kraken’s DNV design-approved Autonomous Launch and Restoration System (ALARS) onto the MSF-class in parallel with the MSF-class deliberate mid-life refit.
The Canadian firm additionally built-in the KATFISH system with Saab’s Command and Management (C2) software program, offering operators with a seamless expertise for mission planning and mission monitoring.
The inclusion of Kongsberg’s Maritime Broadband Radio (MBR) allows the entire system to function remotely, streaming full decision sonar imagery in real-time at ranges exceeding line of sight.
In 2023, Kraken additionally entered in a seven-year sustainment contract with DALO, with choices for 2 additional seven-year extensions, for a complete potential 21 years of sustainment.
The sustainment program consists of commonly scheduled upkeep, restore, and overhaul in addition to provision of coaching and spare elements, and the supply of normal functionality enhancements by means of software program updates.
All through 2024, Kraken may also be delivering further spares, together with spare towcables and two spare KATFISH towbodies.
Kraken has developed and delivered in depth coaching packages with the MCM Denmark group, together with Onboard Operator, Onboard Maintainer, and Depot Maintainer coaching certification packages.
As of 2024, the Royal Danish Navy can have accomplished their first full yr of KATFISH operations, with an undisclosed giant variety of operational hours.
“The method of integrating the Kraken KATFISH sonar into the Danish MCM forces is coming to an finish and it’s anticipated that the MCM capability will attain Full Operational Functionality (FOC) throughout the first half of 2024. An especially in depth and shut coordinated work has been put into the system integration from all stakeholders.
“This has resulted in lots of days and hours onboard the small MCM drones on the Naval base in Frederikshavn. I’ve adopted the work intently and I’m more than happy with the general end result. A really spectacular sensor offering very detailed pictures that can improve the detection and classification likelihood of mine like echoes considerably,” stated Jakob Damgaard Rousøe, the Head of the Maritime Division inside DALO, Captain (RDN).
