Integrated anti-submarine warfare capability was explored through the aerial deployment of sonobuoys from an AR5, combined with General Dynamics Mission Systems–United Kingdom’s distributed acoustic processing.
TEKEVER, Europe’s leading provider of unmanned aerial systems, collaborated with General Dynamics Mission Systems–United Kingdom at this year’s REPMUS (Robotic Experimentation and Prototyping using Maritime Uncrewed Systems) exercise in Troia, Portugal, to explore new approaches to maritime anti-submarine warfare (ASW).
Building on last year’s milestone in sonobuoy deployment, TEKEVER’s AR5 was once again used to deploy sonobuoys, this time in conjunction with General Dynamics Mission Systems–United Kingdom’s distributed acoustic processing suite. Outputs, when integrated into ATLAS, TEKEVER’s AI/ML- powered intelligence platform, are intended to explore how acoustic data could be transformed into actionable information. The envisioned workflow aims to make detections and tracks more directly available to operational decision-makers on the mission bridge, supporting coordinated responses and post-mission analysis — with the ultimate goal of moving closer to closing the loop between sensor, analysis, and action.
The AR5 — already a proven asset in search and rescue, maritime surveillance, and multi-mission operations – is equipped with EO/IR cameras, maritime radar, SATCOM beyond line-of-sight, and TEKEVER’s synthetic aperture radar, GAMASAR. The addition of sonobuoy integration and acoustic data processing further extends its potential role in enabling persistent, safer, wide-area underwater monitoring.
General Dynamics Mission Systems–United Kingdom, a pioneer in sonar systems for distributed ASW, brought its expertise in acoustic processing to the exercise, reinforcing the value of collaborative innovation in this domain.
Ricardo Mendes, CEO of TEKEVER, commented:
“TEKEVER is committed to delivering force multipliers for maritime defence, and REPMUS provides an ideal environment to test innovation in a collaborative setting. For us, this exercise is about exploring how cutting-edge technology can meet real-world interoperability challenges.”
Tony Morris, Vice President, Air & Naval Systems, General Dynamics Mission Systems– International, added:
“Integrating our acoustic processing suite into TEKEVER’s AR5 shows the potential of an end-to-end capability for modern underwater warfare: faster detection, classification, and tracking of underwater threats. Together, we are working to accelerate the sensor-to-decision cycle, enhance situational
awareness, and strengthen the ability of European and allied naval partners to operate with greater speed, safety, and precision.”