EU-Led Project Advances Underwater Surveillance Technology Development

The European Defence Agency (EDA) has launched the second phase of its underwater surveillance technology initiative, titled the ‘Evaluation of State-of-the-Art Thin Line Array Technology II’ (ETLAT II).

The three-year project is valued at nearly €4 million and involves nine participants from six European Union Member States. Italy is the lead nation, with Leonardo as the lead company. This collaborative effort aims to strengthen the European Union’s maritime defence capabilities by advancing Thin Line Array technologies.

Thin Line Array systems, used in underwater surveillance and anti-submarine warfare, are acoustic devices that monitor maritime environments in static or low-speed towed configurations. Building on the first ETLAT project conducted between 2015 and 2018, ETLAT II is focused on addressing unresolved technical challenges to improve the reliability and performance of these systems. During the launch at Leonardo’s premises in Livorno, Italy, project leaders outlined plans to enhance the systems using computational models, experimental evaluations, and designs.

The primary technical objectives of ETLAT II include studying and mitigating mechanical disturbances and flow-induced noise to enhance the stability and sensitivity of Thin Line Array systems. Advanced computational models will be developed to predict hydrodynamic behavior, flow noise, and acoustic performance under various operational conditions, including different towing speeds and configurations. These models will be validated through rigorous prototype testing in controlled environments, such as towing tanks and the Lake Nemi acoustic test range near Rome, which is a specialized facility for underwater testing.

By integrating numerical simulations with experimental testing, the project aims to improve the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of Thin Line Array systems. This enhancement will enable their deployment in demanding maritime defence scenarios, providing a critical boost to the EU’s anti-submarine warfare capabilities.

ETLAT II is a collaborative effort involving several European partners. Italian institutions include the Institute of Marine Engineering (INM-CNR) and Leonardo. Germany is represented by the Bundeswehr Technical Centre for Ships and Naval Weapons (WTD 71). Finland’s contributions come from the Finnish Naval Academy (FNA) and Patria Aviation Oy, while the Netherlands is represented by the Dutch Command Materiel and IT Agency (NL-COMMIT) and the Maritime Research Institute Netherlands (MARIN). Norway’s involvement includes the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI), and Sweden is represented by the Swedish Defence Research Agency (FOI).