Thales delivers first CAPTAS-4 sonar for the US Navy’s frigates

Advanced Acoustic Concepts (AAC), a subsidiary of Thales, has delivered the first CAPTAS-4 sonar for the U.S. Navy’s Constellation class frigates (FFG). 

 Prime contractor Fincantieri Marinette Marine (FMM) awarded the contract in May 2022. The CAPTAS-4 variable depth sonar (VDS) has completed all the milestones in the program established with FMM.

Furthermore, the system system, which has won several awards for its performance in underwater warfare coalition exercises, will help the new U.S. frigates to detect, locate, classify and track increasingly stealthy submarines.

 In addition to the two systems already ordered to date, up to eight additional CAPTAS-4 transmitters assemblies could be supplied under the current contract. ​ In this perspective, in April, AAC will complete construction on a new CAPTAS production facility located at their current site near Uniontown, Pennsylvania, where final assembly, integration and acceptance testing will occur for shipsets two through 10.

“Thales is a long-time supplier of advanced and capable ASW systems to the U.S. Navy and major U.S. prime contractors. With this new contract for the delivery of CAPTAS-4 variable depth sonar, they are once again demonstrating the performance of our acoustic systems and renewing their confidence in our teams,” said Gwendoline Blandin-Roger, Vice President, Underwater Systems, Thales.

In 2020, 2021 and 2022, several French multi-mission frigates equipped with the CAPTAS-4 system won the prestigious Hook’Em Award, the American prize for excellence awarded to the best crew performance in the field of anti-submarine warfare, during coalition exercises in the 6th Fleet area of operations.