Ultra Maritime has successfully executed the first in-water deployment trial of its next-generation Multistatic Active Receive Sonobuoy (MSARS) in Scottish waters [1]. The milestone, achieved under the sponsorship of the UK Ministry of Defence’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) and the National Armaments Director Group, supports the Atlantic Bastion programme’s objective to scale autonomous anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capabilities [1].
The MSARS sonobuoy is designed to outperform current Royal Navy sonobuoy systems in detecting the quietest submarines and unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) at greater ranges [2]. This development occurs amid heightened Russian submarine activity in the North Atlantic, necessitating enhanced detection and localization capabilities to maintain an operational advantage [1].
A critical element of the MSARS deployment strategy involves Ultra Maritime’s collaboration with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI). The companies are working to integrate MSARS and other G-size (half-size) sonobuoys onto the MQ-9B SeaGuardian unmanned aerial system (UAS) [1] [3]. As the sole manufacturer of G-size sonobuoys, Ultra Maritime’s compact form factor enables a doubling of the UAS sonobuoy payload capacity [3]. This integration facilitates distributed multistatic ASW operations, providing autonomous, low-cost wide-area search capabilities in GPS-denied environments [3].
The recent in-water trials follow a £40 million contract awarded to Ultra Maritime by the UK Ministry of Defence earlier this year to deliver sonobuoys for the Royal Navy’s Merlin Maritime Patrol Helicopter fleet [4]. The contract underscores the UK’s investment in strengthening its undersea surveillance and deterrence posture, combining crewed platforms like the Merlin Mk2 with emerging uncrewed air systems [1] [4].
Ultra Maritime operates as a carve-out entity following Advent International’s 2022 acquisition of Ultra Electronics [2]. Led by President and CEO Carlo Zaffanella — a former General Dynamics VP/GM of Maritime & Strategic Systems with 22 years at the company — Ultra Maritime employs over 2,000 personnel supplying undersea warfare systems to the U.S., UK, Canada, and Australia [2].
References
[1] Ultra Maritime Successfully Completes First Deployment of Next Generation Multistatic Active Receive Sonobuoy in the UK — Ultra Maritime, June 10, 2026
[2] HyperSinc via LinkedIn — Ultra Maritime MSARS in-water trial — LinkedIn, June 2026
[3] Ultra Maritime and General Atomics Announce Strategic Partnership to Revolutionize Unmanned Airborne Anti-Submarine Warfare — PR Newswire, May 20, 2025
[4] Ultra Maritime Strengthens UK’s Undersea Surveillance and Deterrence with receipt of a £40 Million Contract for Sonobuoys from the UK Ministry of Defense — Ultra Maritime, February 2, 2026
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