SLAMF USV
AI-Powered Unmanned Surface Vessels Transform Naval Mine Warfare
February 10, 2025
Navies worldwide are embracing artificial intelligence (AI) to revolutionize mine warfare, with the latest development coming from Thales, which has unveiled an advanced AI-enhanced Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV) designed to detect and neutralize naval mines more efficiently and safely.
Thales’ system, a key part of the French Navy’s Système de Lutte Anti-Mines Marines Futur (SLAMF) program, integrates a 12-meter-long USV equipped with the TSAM towed sonar for precise mine detection and classification. Operable from land, a mothership, or another vessel, the autonomous system minimizes risks to personnel by conducting mine countermeasure (MCM) missions remotely.
The system's Mi-Map data analysis application, powered by AI, significantly enhances detection accuracy by reducing false alarms—a persistent challenge in underwater threat identification. This capability allows naval forces to operate with greater confidence in identifying real threats while avoiding unnecessary delays caused by misidentified objects.
Strategic Deployment and Global Implications
France is set to receive six USVs in 2025, forming three system-of-systems configurations, each with two drones. The British Royal Navy is also acquiring four system-of-systems setups, each consisting of a single USV. These deliveries reinforce the Franco-British Maritime Mine Counter Measures (MMCM) program, emphasizing the two nations' commitment to cutting-edge naval defense.
Naval mines continue to pose a significant threat to maritime security, capable of blocking trade routes, endangering naval operations, and causing severe economic disruptions. With the rise of "smart mines"—capable of selective targeting—the need for autonomous and precise mine clearance solutions has never been greater.
Competition in Autonomous Mine Warfare
Thales is not alone in this high-stakes field. Competitors such as Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII), Elbit Systems, Saab, and Atlas Elektronik are advancing their own USV and Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) technologies. The REMUS UUV by HII, the Seagull USV by Elbit Systems, and Saab’s MuMNS (Mine Neutralization System) highlight a growing global race to dominate autonomous mine clearance.
What sets Thales apart is its integrated system approach—combining a towed sonar with AI-enhanced analysis, improving accuracy, and reducing false positives more effectively than its competitors.
Future of AI in Naval Defense
The shift toward AI-powered USVs in mine warfare underscores a broader trend in naval modernization. With tensions rising in strategically critical regions such as the South China Sea and the Strait of Hormuz, ensuring safe and open maritime routes is paramount.
By leveraging AI and autonomy, navies can respond faster, improve interoperability, and operate with reduced risk, marking a new era in mine countermeasure operations.
As Thales and other defense giants push forward, the question remains: how soon will these autonomous fleets become the new standard in naval mine warfare?
Thales Reinvents Mine Clearance with AI-Enhanced Autonomous Drone for French Navy; armyrecognition.com Halna du Fretay
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