The Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) Hunter class frigates will be equipped with Ultra Maritime Australia’s advanced 2150 Bow Sonar system, delivering a significant boost to Australia’s undersea warfare capabilities.

The Hunter Class Frigate Program is the largest surface ship project in Australia’s defence history. Mawson Lakes-based Ultra Maritime has secured the contract with BAE Systems Australia, that is leading delivery of the Hunter program at the Osborne Naval Shipyard.

The hull-mounted sonar will provide active and passive anti-submarine warfare modes, mine and obstacle avoidance sonar, integrated underwater communications and automated torpedo detection, classification and localisation.

Vice President and General Manager of Ultra Maritime Australia Mark Potter said the system would deliver a leading solution to the ship’s ability to detect and respond to underwater threats.

“Ultra Maritime is committed to building a strategic partnership with the Commonwealth of Australia, as we continue to invest and grow our support to the Royal Australian Navy fleet with delivery of world-class undersea warfare solutions,” said Mr Potter.

“Our expertise in sonar, radar and electronic warfare, and torpedo defence will provide best-in-class capabilities within the maritime domain.”

Ultra Maritime has operated in Australia for more than 15 years, expanding from its indigenous electronic warfare capability to establish a sovereign sonar sustainment solution to support its Integrated Sonar System, which has previously been installed on the Hobart class air warfare destroyers.

Development of the Bow Sonar system for the Hunter program will be undertaken at the company’s Mawson Lakes premises.