HISAS 1032
Kongsberg dual-receiver synthetic-aperture sonar; maps seabed mines and cables from HUGIN AUVs.
HISAS 1032 is Kongsberg's dual-receiver synthetic-aperture sonar for the HUGIN Superior underwater drone, unveiled as part of Europe's AUKUS Pillar II bid at ILA Berlin on 8 June 2026.
Last refreshed: 24 July 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
How does HISAS 1032 sonar help NATO watch the seabed cables Russian submarines pass?
Timeline for HISAS 1032
Paired with HUGIN Superior as the sensor payload in the bid
Autonomous Systems: Land & Sea: Europe bids for the AUKUS seabedBackground
HISAS 1032 is Kongsberg's dual-receiver synthetic-aperture sonar, the sensor payload that pairs with the HUGIN Superior autonomous underwater vehicle. The dual-receiver configuration improves along-track resolution and allows simultaneous bathymetric mapping alongside sidescan imagery, producing sub-decimetre resolution of the seabed at speeds practical for mine-hunting and infrastructure surveys.
It works by combining acoustic returns from repeated pings as the AUV moves, synthesising a longer effective aperture than a physically longer array could achieve at the same depth and speed. Operating at low acoustic frequency also lets it penetrate seabed sediment rather than only image the surface, of particular value in mine countermeasures and seabed-cable monitoring.
Kongsberg markets HISAS 1032 as a standalone payload compatible with third-party AUV platforms, not solely the HUGIN family, giving it a market beyond any single vehicle programme or procurement bid it is named alongside.
What does synthetic-aperture sonar do that regular sonar cannot?
Why is HISAS 1032 part of the AUKUS Pillar II bid?
Can HISAS sonar be used to protect undersea internet cables?
