On Monday 17th October, the representatives of the Department of National Defence for the Philippine Navy and Naval Group have conducted the Pre-Delivery Inspection (PDI) of CONTRALTO® reaction module in France. Naval Group will provide anti-torpedo defence system based on CANTO/CONTRALTO countermeasures solution to equip the two Jose Rizal-class frigates. This anti-torpedo system is fitted with its associated reaction module Contralto®, which computes the most appropriate evasive manoeuvre and deployment sequence once a threat is detected. This milestone enables the installation of CONTRALTO® into the C-Guard decoy launching system of the two frigates.
CONTRALTO® represents a breakthrough in the field of anti-torpedo defence. The counter-measure is unique as it applies the ‘dilution/confusion’ concept to defend a vessel. This involves generating a high-level, 360-degree acoustic signal as soon as it enters the water to jam the full frequency range of an attacking torpedo. CANTO® then generates hundreds of false targets, forcing the attacking torpedo to recalibrate and reposition an attack vector. This overwhelms the torpedo’s sonar and data processing, ultimately depleting its energy reserves. The French Navy has already selected CANTO® for its SSN submarine and surface fleet.
CANTO® is compatible with over 50 platforms, and is used in conjunction with the CONTRALTO® reaction module from Naval Group. Once a threat is detected, CONTRALTO® suggests an optimized evasive maneuver along with CANTO® countermeasures. This makes it one of the most successful systems in defeating torpedo attacks. The dual role of dilution/confusion also means CONTRALTO® requires less space when compared with separate systems that fulfill a single purpose. This is incredibly valuable for submarines, which have a limited number of launch tubes and countermeasures to face subsequent attacks.
Naval Group has announced the opening of its office in Manilla in late 2020. The company’s extensive portfolio opens many opportunities to address the entire range of Philippine naval needs from development of the naval forces to the constitution of a world-class submarine force. Naval Group is a major French industrial group specialized in naval defense design, development and construction. Its headquarters are located in Paris. Heir to the French naval dockyards initiated in 1631 by Cardinal Richelieu and to the Direction des Constructions et Armes Navales (DCAN), which became Direction des Constructions Navales (DCN) in 1991 and then DCNS in 2007, the company was rebranded Naval Group in 2017. Its two main shareholders are the French State (62.49%) and Thales Group (35%).
