Italian defense company Leonardo is transferring the SONUS sonar system to the British army, bringing this force new generation technology to help determine the location of enemy gunshots and explosions without revealing its own location.
This is a passive operating system, not emitting electronic signals, helping to increase safety in a complex battlefield environment.
SONUS is a new version of Leonardo's "HALO Enemy Artillery Positioning" system, designed to receive sound waves emitted from enemy weapons and then calculate the source coordinates.
Compared to previous HALO versions, the new device is 50% smaller and 70% lighter, while also saving more energy, helping to extend the operating time in the field.
A notable point is that SONUS uses an open architecture, allowing compatibility with many other military systems and easy upgrading in the future without affecting the integrated platform.
The integrated GPS microphone system helps soldiers deploy equipment in less than three minutes, even in harsh environmental conditions.
Mr. Olly Manning, Vice President in charge of Leonardo's Mission System, said the company expects SONUS to provide the British military with an accurate, powerful and reliable passive detection solution, contributing to protecting the armed forces in the present and future.
Larger-scale HALO systems have been deployed and tested by six NATO member states in the war environment, including Afghanistan and Ukraine, showing reliability in real conditions. The latest SONUS version will be supplied to the British military under a £18 million (about $25 million) contract within the SERPENS Project to improve frontline combat capabilities.
Brigadier General Matthew Birch said that this investment demonstrates the military's commitment to bringing advanced technology to the battlefield, while increasing the ability to protect citizens and respond to increasingly complex threats.
According to the plan, Leonardo will hand over SONUS equipment to the Royal Artillery Regiment No. 5 within the next 12 months.
The deployment of the new system is expected to significantly improve the ability to detect enemy firepower, supporting soldiers to make quicker and more accurate decisions in combat situations.
