Kongsberg to supply sonars for Norwegian Coastguard’s new vessels

Norway’s marine technology company Kongsberg Maritime has signed a contract with compatriot naval architecture and marine engineering company Vard to deliver its sonars for the Norwegian Coastguard’s new vessels.

The sonars will be used on board three new craft planned for launch between 2022 and 2024, replacing the existing Nordkapp-class vessels.

Specifically, Kongsberg will equip the new 136-metre, ice-strengthened vessels with its SS1221 sonars, which boast acoustic properties which make them ideally suited for multiple operations safeguarding Norwegian territorial waters, especially those requiring deployment in shallow-water environments.

The SS1221, principally devised for ASW operations and capable of detecting torpedoes or other small objects in the water column, is an active hull-mounted sonar which utilises sophisticated tracking algorithms. Its electronically-stabilised transmitting and receiving beams can be tilted to adjust to challenging sound speed profiles, with its integrated Sound Propagation Model determining the optimal tilt settings and enhancing the Probability of Detection (PoD) ratio.

The SS1221 sonars will be delivered to the coastguard complete with retractable hull units and gate valves for ice protection, ensuring safe and efficient operation.

“We are very pleased to have been selected by the Norwegian Coastguard, and to further strengthen our position as a principal supplier of coastal and shallow-water sonar equipment,” says Thomas H. Dahle, Director of Sales at Kongsberg.