Thales has been awarded by Singapore defence prime ST Engineering to supply its Pathmaster system to boost the Republic of Singapore Navy’s (RSN) mine countermeasures (MCM) capabilities, the company announced on 19 May. The contract is also the first for the Pathmaster system in Asia, the company added.
According to Thales, the contract was awarded in March and includes the M-Cube mission management system and TSAS towed sonars combined with the MiMap sonar data analysis tool, and will equip ST Engineering’s unmanned surface vehicle (USV).
Thales noted that it will also provide AI-enabled tools to manage mine databases and library to facilitate target detection and identification, easing the workload of RSN operators. The system is already in service with the British Royal Navy and the French Navy, under the Maritime Mine Countermeasure (MMCM) programme.
“This latest contract award reflects the trust that the Republic of Singapore Navy places in Thales’ naval technologies, said Sébastien Gueremy, VP Underwater Systems at Thales.
“The Pathmaster system represents a significant step in the RSN’s vision for an autonomous system of systems, offering enhanced operational capabilities while reinforcing the safety of their personnel,” added Gueremy.
The Pathmaster system will be supported by the Thales Singapore Defence Hub for maintenance and service and to develop compatible applications that can seamlessly interface with the RSN’s systems.
ST Engineering earlier announced that it has been awarded contracts by the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) to deliver a suite of uncrewed surface and underwater capabilities optimised for mine countermeasure (MCM) operations for the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN).
The company said in a 7 May statement that the suite of uncrewed MCM systems will comprise a fleet of USVs and autonomous underwater vehicles (AUV), as well as an associated command and control (C2) centre, which will be used to detect and eliminate underwater mines.
ST Engineering will also deliver a simulation system navy personnel to enhance their operational skills, allowing them to practise decision-making, refine operational techniques and execute dynamic MCM scenarios safely.
According to ST Engineering, the uncrewed MCM suite will be progressively delivered from 2027.
Faced with dwindling manpower resources and seeking a technological edge against potential adversaries, the RSN has committed to introducing new unmanned capabilities and is poised to phase out its mine-hunting ships in favour of uncrewed systems.
The interest in such capabilities was first articulated by Singapore defence minister Ng Eng Hen in July 2016, in which the RSN will seek to operationalise a fully MCM force, under wider efforts to enable the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) to meet a projected 30% reduction in the pool of eligible conscripts by 2030.
by Jr Ng
