Kraken Robotics Inc. Canada’s Ocean Company, is pleased to announce that it has signed a follow-on contract to supply minehunting systems as part of a contract for new Mine Countermeasure Vessels (MCMVs) for a leading NATO Navy. Kraken’s KATFISH™ system has been in full production since 2017, and since 2020 Kraken has delivered several KATFISH towed Synthetic Aperture Sonar, Tentacle Winch and Autonomous Launch and Recovery System (ALARS) to customers in North America, Europe and the Middle East. As part of this new contract, Kraken will deliver additional KATFISH, Tentacle Winch and ALARS and topside systems. Kraken’s sonar equipment will be integrated onboard new MCMVs , with deliveries occurring in 2023 and 2024.
Karl Kenny, Kraken President and CEO said: “We are very pleased to sign this follow-on contract to supply additional KATFISH and ALARS systems for this NATO Navy’s new minehunting vessels. Like many other NATO countries, Kraken’s customers are upgrading their minehunting capabilities, as the war in the Ukraine with Russia highlights the need for stronger national security. Against this global geopolitical backdrop, Kraken is seeing continued opportunities for growth in all regions of the world. With an innovative and world leading portfolio of synthetic aperture sonar technologies, we look forward to additional significant program wins both as prime contractor and in partnership with other global defense primes. Our next generation technology is commercially available today and offers industry leading performance and a highly competitive value proposition.”
KATFISH is a high speed, actively stabilized Synthetic Aperture Sonar towfish that operates at speeds up to 10 knots. The high speed capability of KATFISH when compared to the slower moving ROVs or unstabilized towed sidescan sonar and AUVs, greatly increases Area Coverage Rates (ACR) therefore reducing operating time and cost. KATFISH incorporates Kraken’s latest generation Real-Time SAS processor. RTSAS enables real-time processing of SAS imagery and bathymetry. On-board Automatic Target Detection survey data and contacts can be viewed directly on the ship as it is collected, or remotely from a mothership or shore-based command station. KATFISH provides unprecedented high-resolution ACR of 4 km^/hr with 3.3 cm x 3.0 cm* constant resolution across ranges up to 200 m per side with simultaneous 3D bathymetry. *1.9 cm x 2.1 cm constant resolution possible with post-processing.
Kraken Robotics Inc. is a marine technology company dedicated to the production and sale of software-centric sensors, subsea batteries, and underwater robotic systems. The company is headquartered in Newfoundland with offices in Canada, U.S., Germany, Denmark, and Brazil. In July 2021, Kraken acquired PanGeo Subsea, a leading services company specializing in high-resolution 3D acoustic imaging solutions for the sub-seabed. PanGeo with offices in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Kraken. Kraken is ranked as a Top 100 marine technology company by Marine Technology Reporter.
