Kraken Robotics to Supply Seabed Mapping Sonar Equipment to a Navy in Asia-Pacific

Canadian marine robotics company Kraken Robotics has won a $9.5 million contract to supply high-resolution seabed mapping sonar equipment to a navy in Asia-Pacific. 

"The customer cannot be named at this time. Under the scope of the contract, Kraken will deliver its KATFISH™ high-speed minehunting solution. The contract also includes a variety of support and sustainment options, including training, spares and operational support," Kraken Robotics said.

Under the contract, Kraken Robotics will deliver its KATFISH towed Synthetic Aperture Sonar, Tentacle Winch, and Autonomous Launch and Recovery System (ALARS) in Q2, 2023. 

Kraken’s equipment will be integrated onboard a vessel of opportunity selected by the customer. 

"Continuing to build off successful KATFISH deliveries with various NATO navies, this represents Kraken’s first KATFISH system sale in the Asia-Pacific region," Kraken Robotics said.

"This contract follows the results of a successful in-country demonstration of KATFISH™ for the customer in Q1 of this year. Kraken’s team worked in concert with a local survey company to complete a 200 km seabed survey that provided real-time ultra- high-resolution imagery and bathymetry of the seafloor along coastal waters," the company said.

Kraken said Wednesday it was seeing continued opportunities for growth in all regions of the world as several trends are driving demand for Kraken’s synthetic aperture sonar technology, including a heightened focus on maritime security and protection of subsea infrastructure; an industry upgrade cycle and a gradual shift to smaller unmanned surface vessels for mine hunting, and strong growth in the commercial market from growing requirements for high resolution data for seabed surveys and subsea asset inspection in the offshore oil and gas and offshore wind sectors.

"There are over 300 manned mine hunting vessels that are more than 20 years old and need to be upgraded over the next 5-10 years. Many of these will be replaced with smaller, unmanned vessels," Kraken Robotics said.