Ultra Maritime has successfully carried out the first at-sea test of its newly developed Multistatic Active Receive Sonobuoy (MSARS) in Scottish waters, marking a significant milestone in the United Kingdom’s efforts to strengthen its anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capabilities.
The MSARS system was developed with support from the UK Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) under the Atlantic Bastion program. The initiative aims to enhance submarine detection and tracking operations by increasing the use of autonomous technologies and integrating uncrewed systems into maritime surveillance missions.
A key objective of the program is to improve cooperation between autonomous platforms and existing crewed assets, including the Royal Navy’s Merlin Mk2 helicopter fleet.
According to Ultra Maritime, the growing presence of Russian submarines in the North Atlantic has increased the need for more effective detection and localization capabilities. The company noted that identifying both conventional submarine threats and unmanned underwater vehicles is essential for maintaining operational superiority in the region.
Designed for deployment from both crewed and uncrewed aircraft, MSARS allows operators to configure mission settings before launch through a built-in digital interface, providing greater operational flexibility.
Ultra Maritime is also collaborating with General Atomics to integrate the sonobuoy system onto the MQ-9B SeaGuardian unmanned aircraft platform. The planned integration is expected to expand operational coverage, increase sonobuoy carrying capacity, and support distributed anti-submarine warfare missions across larger maritime areas.
Expanding International Sonobuoy Programs
The recent trial follows a series of developments in Ultra Maritime’s sonobuoy portfolio, including new production agreements and international defense partnerships.
Earlier this year, the company secured a US Navy contract for the low-rate initial production of the AN/SSQ-125B sonobuoy. The system is intended to improve the detection of increasingly quiet submarines operating in challenging acoustic conditions.
In 2025, France selected Ultra Maritime to provide active and passive sonobuoys through a contract awarded by Thales on behalf of the French defense procurement agency. The agreement supports the modernization of France’s anti-submarine warfare capabilities.
The company also expanded its presence in Asia through a partnership with India’s Bharat Dynamics Limited, established in 2025 to jointly manufacture sonobuoys for the Indian Navy.
