Singapore Navy to Deploy Thales Pathmaster Mine Detection System on USV

Thales has signed its first Asian contract for the Pathmaster mine countermeasure system, which will be delivered to the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) in partnership with ST Engineering.

The contract includes the integration of the system on an unmanned surface vehicle developed by ST Engineering.

The Pathmaster system comprises a Towed Synthetic Aperture Sonar (TSAS) for real-time mine detection, the MiMap sonar data analysis tool, and the M-Cube mission management system. Together, these tools allow for accurate mine classification and location, even in congested maritime zones.

The system will be used to monitor and secure one of the region’s busiest maritime straits, an area critical to global shipping and Asian economies. With Singapore situated at a key crossroads of international trade, the RSN has placed increasing focus on underwater surveillance and mine countermeasures.

The ability to detect, classify and locate mines in real-time is vital for securing our sea lines of communication. This system improves situational awareness and reduces operational risks.

The contract also includes AI-enabled tools to manage mine databases and automate target identification, significantly easing the workload of naval operators.

To support long-term operations, the system will be backed by the Thales Singapore Defence Hub, which was established in 2023. Located close to Singapore Armed Forces installations, the hub will handle system maintenance, operational availability, and local application development, in collaboration with ST Engineering.

Pathmaster has already been deployed by the French Navy and British Royal Navy under the Maritime Mine Countermeasures (MMCM) program.