Norwegian Kongsberg Discovery and Danish MacArtney Underwater Technology have signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to integrate Kongsberg’s towed sensing systems onto MacArtney’s remotely operated towed vehicle (ROTV) platforms.
Kongsberg Discovery, a specialist in high-performance underwater positioning, navigation and advanced sonar systems widely used across high-end survey operations, will bring its sensing knowledge to the partnership.
Meanwhile, MacArtney Underwater Technology will add its expertise in towed platforms, cables, and subsea communications, with its Focus series known for hydrodynamic stability, flexible payload capacity and the ability to carry multiple instruments at varying depths and speeds.
The agreement, signed on December 1, 2025, at Kongsberg Discovery’s facility in Horten, Norway, was lauded as “a natural partnership”.
Speaking of the agreement, Helge Uhlen , Vice President, OT Sales, Kongsberg Discovery, said: “This partnership represents an important step toward delivering comprehensive solutions to our customers. By combining all our sonars, underwater positioning and navigation systems from Kongsberg Discovery with MacArtney’s platforms, we can now offer a unique blend of technology and flexibility”
Uhlen noted applications include, but are not limited to, seafloor mapping, pipeline and cable inspection, wide-area search tasks, mine-countermeasures, and more. The flexibility of the solution allows for operations in either shallow coastal areas or at depths down to 1,000 meters, depending on the specific platform.
Bjarke T. Ovesen , Sales Director – Naval, MacArtney, described the partnership as a natural evolution of a long-standing collaboration between the companies.
“We look forward to working with Kongsberg Discovery to integrate their advanced sonars into our systems. This will provide our customers with significant added value in terms of precision and reliability and ensure they have the tools to succeed,” Ovesen commented.
This year, Kongsberg Discovery rolled out advanced passive acoustic technology, following the full integration of Naxys Technologies, enabling continuous hydrophone-based monitoring to detect flow anomalies, leaks, structural issues and other underwater acoustic signatures for sectors such as energy, naval and offshore infrastructure.
The company also began production of its autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) HUGIN in the United States, aiming to meet rising demand in the U.S. market and strengthen its supply chain for defence and commercial subsea operations.