Arkeocean and Thales partner on robotic mine countermeasure solution for naval forces. * 3 November 2026 * Edited By: Haley McQueen As the threat from seafloor mines grows, naval forces are looking for agile, lightweight solutions that can adapt to different operating areas. The goal is to act at a distance, reducing exposure of ships and crews during mine-clearance missions. Thales and French robotics firm Arkeocean have partnered to develop a modular, cost-effective underwater mine countermeasure solution. (Image credit: Thales/Arkeocean) Remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) address these changing operational needs. By relocating key functions such as surveillance, approach, and intervention, these systems open new possibilities for conducting mine warfare operations. For example, a mine countermeasure ROV can be controlled from a support vessel to approach a mine and enable remote neutralization. Thales and the SME Arkeocean have launched a collaboration to develop a cost-effective underwater mine-hunting solution. This partnership brings together complementary strengths: Arkeocean delivers an innovative underwater vehicle capable of operating remotely or autonomously depending on the environment, while Thales provides its expertise in military warheads and an appropriate terminal effect integrated with the deployed system. Developed by Arkeocean, the M Platform is a multi-mission underwater vehicle designed to support a wide range of operational needs. Its modular architecture, based on the integration of interchangeable mission payloads, offers strong operational flexibility. For mine countermeasures, Thales aims to extend the operational chain through a dedicated payload and integration into a broader process covering detecting, classifying, identifying, and neutralizing (DCLIN) mine threats. For Arkeocean, this collaboration with Thales opens new prospects for the vehicle in the mine countermeasures domain, highlighting one of the many applications enabled by its modular design and ability to include advanced technologies. Thales' S-HEB warhead from the BlueSliver family, developed at the Thales site in France (in La Ferté Saint-Aubin), is designed to neutralize mines effectively, while ensuring a high level of user safety. BlueSliver warheads are natively designed to be integrated across different compatible platforms and to deliver effects tailored to the targeted threats. Thales demonstrates once again its ability to evolve its warhead expertise toward new naval operations, leveraging the Expeditionary PathMaster open-architecture approach and working alongside specialists in underwater vehicle systems. Don't miss the headlines. ON&T's top news, every week. More in Defense & Security

Thales unveils M-Cube, Lightweight Dipping Sonar and CAPTAS-4 Module for Hybrid ASW at Euronaval 2026. * 3 November 2026 * Edited By: Haley McQueen As undersea threats become increasingly complex and naval forces seek to maximize their operational effectiveness, the future of anti-submarine warfare (ASW) lies in the ability to distribute sensing, extend operational reach, and seamlessly orchestrate a growing mix of manned and unmanned assets. Through its Hybrid Fleet vision, Thales is enabling navies to move beyond traditional platform-centric operations toward a connected, scalable, and resilient ASW ecosystem. Thales showcased three technologies central to its Hybrid Fleet anti-submarine warfare strategy. (Image credit: Thales) At Euronaval 2026, Thales highlighted three key innovations that bring this vision to life: M-Cube, the mission management system that enables collaborative operations across distributed assets; the new Lightweight Dipping Sonar (LDS), bringing advanced acoustic detection capabilities to autonomous and lightweight platforms; and the CAPTAS-4 Mission Module (C4MM), delivering world-class variable-depth sonar performance in a flexible, rapidly deployable format. M-Cube: The Mission Management Backbone of the Hybrid Fleet At the heart of Thales' Hybrid Fleet vision, M-Cube provides the mission management and command-and-control framework required to coordinate complex operations involving crewed and uncrewed platforms. Designed to support collaborative operations across multiple domains, M-Cube enables operators to plan, task, and supervise distributed assets from a single mission environment. By orchestrating the deployment of ships, helicopters, unmanned surface vessels, and other autonomous systems, it allows navies to conduct coordinated ASW operations over wider areas with increased operational efficiency and responsiveness. Originally developed and proven in mine warfare missions, M-Cube is now expanding to ASW, ISR, and Above Water Warfare applications, providing a scalable and interoperable architecture aligned with NATO operational requirements. Expanding ASW Reach with the Lightweight Dipping Sonar The Hybrid Fleet vision also relies on multiplying the number of sensors available within the battlespace. To address this challenge, Thales is introducing its Lightweight Dipping Sonar (LDS). Derived from decades of expertise in advanced sonar technologies, LDS extends high-performance acoustic detection capabilities to a new generation of autonomous and lightweight platforms. Compact, modular, and highly deployable, the system enables unmanned vessels and other non-traditional platforms to perform sophisticated underwater surveillance and submarine detection missions. By allowing advanced sonar capabilities to be deployed further forward and for extended periods of time, LDS significantly enhances operational persistence while reducing risks to personnel and high-value assets. CAPTAS-4 Mission Module: Frigate-Class ASW Capability, Unmatched Flexibility Complementing this distributed architecture is the CAPTAS-4 Mission Module, which brings the proven performance of the world-leading CAPTAS-4 variable-depth sonar to a wider range of naval platforms. Packaged as a modular, deployable, and cross-deckable capability, it offers maximum operational flexibility across a heterogeneous fleet. The CAPTAS-4 Mission Module enables navies to rapidly equip vessels with high-end ASW capabilities without requiring dedicated ASW frigates. This unprecedented flexibility allows operators to adapt their force structure to mission requirements while maintaining the level of performance needed to detect and track increasingly silent submarine threats. By extending advanced underwater warfare capabilities across a broader fleet, CAPTAS-4 Mission Module plays a key role in enabling distributed and scalable ASW operations. Shaping the Future of Underwater Superiority These three innovations build on Thales' growing portfolio of autonomous underwater warfare capabilities, including BlueSentry, a compact towed sonar payload designed for integration on uncrewed maritime platforms to provide persistent underwater surveillance and anti-submarine warfare capabilities. "The future of Anti-Submarine Warfare is not about a single platform. It is about the ability to connect ships, autonomous systems, and advanced sensors into a coordinated operational ecosystem," said Sébastien Guérémy, Vice-President, Underwater Systems, Thales. "Through these technologies, Thales is helping navies maintain decisive advantage in an increasingly contested underwater environment." Don't miss the headlines. ON&T's top news, every week. More in Defense & Security

HII and Thales successfully demonstrate Expeditionary PathMaster's ability to deliver an end-to-end autonomous mine countermeasure mission. Published on 11/03/2026 at 01:01 am EST GlobeNewswire POCASSET, Mass., Nov. 03, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) - HII (NYSE: HII), America's largest military shipbuilder and the global leader in autonomous seapower, and Thales, a global leader in advanced technologies, have successfully demonstrated an end-to-end autonomous mine countermeasure capability. This demonstration leveraged Thales' Expeditionary Pathmaster, an open and modular expeditionary mine countermeasure architecture designed to integrate autonomous platforms, sensors, mission management systems and effectors from multiple providers into a unified operational framework. Through this architecture, HII's REMUS 620 unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV), alongside sensors, mission management tools and neutralization capabilities from multiple providers, was integrated into a single end-to-end operational workflow spanning mine detection, classification and neutralization. Photos accompanying this release are available at: https://www.hii.com/news/hii-and-thales-successfully-demonstrate-expeditionary-pathmasters-ability-to-deliver-an-end-to-end-autonomous-mine-countermeasure-mission. The demonstration was conducted using Thales' Expeditionary Portable Operation Center (ePOC), a rapidly deployable command and control system designed to support expeditionary mine warfare operations. Acting as the operational hub, the ePOC hosted Thales' Mission Management System and sonar data analysis software, integrated with HII's REMUS 620 UUV, HII's Odyssey mission management solution and Thales' Advanced Acoustic Concepts' ANGLER mine neutralization capability. The REMUS 620 is HII's next-generation medium-class UUV, designed for long-range, multi-day operations with a modular, open architecture that enables the integration of mission-specific payloads and sensors. HII's Odyssey Mission command and control enable mission planning and management, while supporting increasingly collaborative operations across unmanned platforms. Together, these technologies demonstrated a complete "Find, Fix, Finish" mission chain of mine countermeasure operations: * FIND: HII REMUS 620 UUV, integrated with the Thales SAMDIS 600 multi-aspect sonar, autonomously searches the undersea environment to detect potential mine threats, controlled by HII's command and control (C2) software which interfaces with the Thales ePOC. * FIX: Detected contacts were analyzed using Thales' software, which combines high-resolution multi-aspect sonar imagery with AI-enabled Automatic Target Recognition (ATR) capabilities, enabling operators to classify and localize mine-like objects, thus building the tactical picture required for operational decision-making. * FINISH: Thales AAC's ANGLER underwater effector and Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) concluded the mission chain by completing rapid re-acquisition of the mine-like objects, visual identification of the mine threat, ultimately providing the means to engage and neutralize the identified mine. All mission assets were successfully coordinated through the Expeditionary PathMaster environment, leveraging Thales' mission management system within ePOC to provide operators with a unified operational picture and consistent command and control throughout the mission. The demonstration included the automated launch and recovery of the REMUS UUV, equipped with Thales' SAMDIS 600 Multi-Aspect Synthetic Aperture Sonar, using HII's Sea Launcher system. The exercise also highlighted Expeditionary PathMaster's open architecture, which enabled Thales to integrate HII's autonomous underwater systems and ANGLER's neutralization capability into a common, NATO-compliant mission environment. This approach allows allied navies to combine capabilities from multiple suppliers while maintaining operational coherence. "Bringing "Find, Fix and Finish" together demonstrates what is possible when proven unmanned platforms, advanced sensors, autonomy and effectors are designed to operate as an integrated system," said Duane Fotheringham, president of HII's Unmanned Systems group. "This demonstration advances our work with Thales from sensor integration to a complete mine countermeasure mission capability. Together, we are giving naval forces a path to conduct these demanding missions faster, at greater scale and with sailors farther from the mine threat." Building on HII and Thales' successful 2025 integration and field exercise of the SAMDIS 600 sonar aboard the REMUS 620, the latest demonstration expanded beyond sensor integration and underwater performance to encompass mission management, AI-assisted exploitation and mine neutralization within a unified system. Sébastien Guérémy, vice-president, Underwater Systems, Thales stated, "This demonstration alongside HII, a leading American partner, illustrates Thales' ability to work with the best international players to address the critical challenges of mine warfare. Thales' mine countermeasures solutions, such as Expeditionary PathMaster, has again proven that it can integrate autonomous platforms, advanced sensors, mission management and neutralization systems into a single AI-powered operational framework." As threats and mission requirements evolve, this demonstration underscores HII and Thales' shared commitment to modular, interoperable and autonomous solutions that allow naval customers to rapidly integrate new sensors, platforms, autonomy and effectors. About Thales Thales (Euronext Paris: HO) is a global leader in advanced technologies for the Defence, Aerospace, and Cyber & Digital sectors. Its portfolio of innovative products and services helps address several major challenges: sovereignty, security, sustainability and inclusion. The Group allocates €4.5 billion per year in Research & Development in key areas, particularly for critical environments, such as Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Quantum and Cloud technologies. Thales has more than 85,000 employees in 65 countries. In 2025, the Group generated sales of €22.1 billion. About Thales in the U.S. For more than a century, Thales has delivered proven, trusted and secure solutions to customers across the United States. The company brings a strong national footprint and a deeply skilled workforce dedicated to anticipating and exceeding customer needs. Backed by extensive manufacturing capabilities, Thales works closely with customers and local industries to solve complex challenges for every operational environment. HII is America's Seapower Company. The nation's largest shipbuilder, HII builds the manned and unmanned maritime systems and all-domain mission technologies that project U.S. and allied power around the world. With a more than 140-year history of advancing U.S. national security, HII is headquartered in Virginia and employs 45,000 people across three divisions. For more information, visit: * HII on the web: https://www.HII.com/ * HII on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TeamHII * HII on X: https://www.twitter.com/WeAreHII * HII on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/WeAreHII * HII on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wearehii Contact HII: Greg McCarthy +00 (1) 202 264 7126 [email protected] Contacts Thales: Camille Heck +33 (0)6 73 78 33 63 [email protected] Jennifer Tumminio +00 (1) 571 969 0730 [email protected] A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0f952abe-b254-49aa-b978-d2ccfa7db206 (C) GlobeNewswire - 2026