TSAM
Thales Towed Synthetic Aperture Multiviews sonar; a towed mine-detection system fitted to the RNMB Ariadne autonomous minehunter.
Last refreshed: 29 May 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Can TSAM sonar on Ariadne actually detect and classify mines in the shallow contested waters off Hormuz?
Timeline for TSAM
Robot minehunter now sails for Hormuz
Autonomous Systems: Land & Sea- What does TSAM sonar do on the Royal Navy's robot minehunter?
- TSAM (Towed Synthetic Aperture Multiviews) is a mine-hunting sonar developed by Thales, fitted to RNMB Ariadne. It uses acoustic synthetic aperture processing to generate high-resolution seabed images, identifying and classifying mines without requiring a crewed vessel over the threat.Source: UK Defence Journal
- What is the MMCM programme and who is involved?
- The Anglo-French Maritime Mine Countermeasures (MMCM) programme is a joint UK-France effort to develop autonomous mine-clearance capability. Thales is the lead contractor, with the UK share worth approximately £184 million. TSAM and the Ariadne platform are part of this programme.Source: event
- How does the Royal Navy clear mines without sending divers?
- RNMB Ariadne uses TSAM sonar to detect and classify mines from a crewless surface vessel, then deploys a remotely operated neutraliser to destroy the mine. The system removes the need for a human diver or crewed ship to approach the device at any stage.Source: UK Defence Journal
Background
TSAM (Towed Synthetic Aperture Multiviews) is a mine-hunting sonar system developed by Thales, fitted to the Royal Navy's autonomous minehunter RNMB Ariadne. It uses synthetic aperture processing to generate high-resolution acoustic images of the seabed, allowing the sonar to identify and classify mines at ranges and resolutions that conventional sonars cannot achieve.
The towed configuration means TSAM is streamed behind Ariadne at low speed while it surveys a mine-suspect area, processing returning acoustic signals to build a detailed picture of the seabed. On Ariadne, TSAM works alongside a remotely operated mine neutraliser that can destroy identified mines without requiring a human diver or operator to approach the threat. Together they form the contact-to-clearance sequence that defines autonomous mine countermeasures: the sonar finds the mine, the neutraliser destroys it, and no sailor sits above the device at any point.
TSAM is part of Thales's contribution to the Anglo-French Maritime Mine Countermeasures (MMCM) programme, which has a UK share of approximately £184 million. The May 2026 deployment of Ariadne toward the Strait of Hormuz is the first potential operational use of TSAM in a live contested environment, rather than in development or trials.
