The European Defence Agency has launched the second phase of a project aimed at developing underwater surveillance technology.
Known as “Evaluation of State-of-the-Art Thin Line Array Technology II,” or ETLAT II, the $4.2 million project aims to strengthen the EU’s capabilities in maritime defense over the next three years. It is led by Italy and defense manufacturer Leonardo and involves nine institutions from six European Union member states, including Germany’s Bundeswehr Technical Centre, the Finnish Naval Academy, Italy’s Institute of Marine Engineering, and the Dutch Command Materiel and IT Agency.
Thin Line Array Tech
According to EDA, ETLAT II focuses on refining thin line array technologies, which are specialized acoustic devices employed for stationary and low-speed towed surveillance in maritime environments. The project builds on the first ETLAT project, conducted from 2015 to 2018, that aims to resolve prior technical challenges and improve the operational readiness of these systems.
Key technical objectives include reducing vibrations that affect towing systems, enhancing computational models to accurately predict acoustic performance across various conditions, and conducting extensive prototype testing in controlled environments.
Maritime Security Cooperation
The collaborative initiative is the latest in a series of efforts to boost the region’s defense capabilities and maritime security. In November, France contracted Thales to install surveillance sensors on French Navy offshore patrol vessels. Earlier in April, NATO met with company leaders in Belgium to explore potential collaboration in maritime surveillance.
The United Kingdom is leading a multinational expeditionary force. In October 2023, it called on militaries and maritime communities to work together to provide better security to seabed cables that enable data transmission across the Atlantic or Pacific oceans. This followed reports that an undersea telecommunications cable between Sweden and Estonia had sustained damage.