EvoLogics Sonobot 5 USV being demonstrated at Oceanology International 2024 in London on 13 March. (Janes/Neil Dee)
German company EvoLogics is planning to deliver a further batch of Sonobot unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) to the Ukrainian armed forces. EvoLogics CEO Fabian Bannasch told Janes at Oceanology International 2024, held in London on 12–14 March, that his company is “currently preparing a fourth configuration of Sonobot with enhanced underwater data networking and positioning capabilities in order to guide and support complex underwater missions with dive teams, and AUVs [autonomous underwater vehicles] where the Sonobot will be the gateway buoy at the surface” for the Ukrainian armed forces. Sonobots are a family of small USVs of about 1.3 m in length that can be folded and transported by a single person.
The new configuration builds on three previous versions of the USV that have been delivered to Ukraine so far. Bannasch said that the first Sonobots delivered to Ukraine were similar to those in service with the Bundeswehr. The first batch of Ukrainian Sonobots were engineering versions that can “scan for river crossings, inland waters, and destroyed infrastructure. For instance, when bridges across rivers were bombarded by both sides, and have collapsed, in order to rebuild them or recreate around them, you have to remove sometimes hundreds of artillery shells and unexploded explosive devices from that area before you can start to think about any reconstruction or any new building”.
“The second version of Sonobot that went to Ukraine was for special forces operations”, said Bannasch. This version has night-vision cameras, long-range military communications, and satellite communications, among other features. The USVs provide the capability to “scan landing sites, river shores, coastal areas for when you perform any kind of infiltration activities or special operations activities”.
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