Thales to Equip German Anti-Submarine NH90 Helicopters with Flash Sonic Sonars

The German ministry of Defence has contracted Thales to equip the former’s NH90 Multi Role Frigate Helicopter with FLASH SONICS dipping sonar and sonobuoy processing systems.

The new configuration of the NH90 Multi Role Frigate Helicopter variant includes the latest processing technology which offers significant operational improvement. These helicopters will be the first to be equipped with the capability to process Thales new sonobuoy SonoFlash in addition to the FLASH world reference dipping sonar. 

The FLASH system (Folding Light Acoustic System for Helicopters) employs a low-frequency wideband sonar with long-range detection and low false alarm rates in Open Ocean as well as littoral waters. The FLASH provides anti-submarine warfare capability through the use of the active and passive sonobuoy processing system. The system is characterized with a short dive cycle time, and when combined with Thales BlueTracker (SONICS) buoy processing capability, provides extensive area coverage.