thales sonar systems for indian navy

[aaaditya]

hey guys just read an article on www.protonriver.com that indian navy is negotiating for the purchasal of a unique thales sonar capable of detecting missiles,torpedoes ,aircrafts and submarines(this is the second time i have seen this article) upto a range of 140 kilometres,it was called as the magnetic sonars(infrared sensors can also be integrated to them),thales is also planning to set up a support centre in india known as the thales services india(a subsidiary of thales),about 8 systems are to be purchased for indian warships(delhi,p15a bangalore,viraat etc),all specifications are speculative as china is negotiating with signaal of netherlands for a similiar system.
is there realy such a system capable of detecting multidimensional threats at such a long range,can gf or someone else confirm about it :coffee

 

[tatra]

Could you provide the URL of the article at protonriver? It sounds like a tale to me. I very much doubt Thales Netherlands (formely Signaal aka Hollandse Signaal Apparaten or HSA) would deliver such a system to China, maybe to India but even there I have my doubts.

 

[highsea]

tatra, here is an article that basically says the same thing- it's almost a year old:

http://www.newsinsight.net/nati2.asp?recno=2780&ctg=Defence

It would not surprise me to see France offering these systems to China if the embargo is lifted. This article mentions sonar sales to China for subs and surface vessels in the past.

Even under the embargo, China has employed dual-use European technology since the mid-1990s to improve its weapons systems, he said.
"This will be ratcheted up," he said. "In terms of electronics, the French have sold submarine sonar, ship sonar and certain ship-based electronic warfare defenses. I expect the French, for example, to begin marketing far more expansive electronic systems.
"And this is a real fear on the part of the Pentagon that companies like Thales will start to market advanced network centric command and control systems or far more modern electronic intelligence and electronic defense and offensive systems," he said.
If the embargo is lifted, he said, Britain, France and Germany will likely face greater internal pressure to start selling China high resolution satellites, he said.
Although Russia is currently China's main supplier of sophisticated military hardware, Fisher sees China turning to European defense contractors for next generation technologies that will allow it to move beyond its existing weaponry and make it competitive with the US military.

http://www.eubusiness.com/afp/050223194501.6pj39dl6

Thales has done extensive business with India, Delhi Class DD among others.

aaaditya- these systems certainly exist, but they are combined systems using radar and sonar, since sonar can't see above the surface, and radar can't see below. Wrt range, radar is line of sight and sonar is affected by lots of variables, but 140km is within the limits of the technology.

 

[aaaditya]

thanks highsea .:coffee

 

[tatra]

Traditionally Signaal produced radars and data/combat systems, not sonars. The company has always bought its "wet ends" from outside suppliers. It then adds its standard processing and display components to yield systems such as SIASS, SPECTRUM, GYPSY/SEWACO VII.

When you visit the Thales Netherlands (www.thales-nederland.nl) website and look at their product range, note that you are redirected to the international Thales site (www.thales-naval.com) when selecting naval activities, for all other activities you remain at the .nl domain (i.e. traditional Signaal activities)

I'm assuming therefor that it is the French rather than the Dutch components of Thales that are doing business with China. The dutch government certainly does not approve systems exports to China at this time and hasn't for a long time.

 

[vrus]

I don't understand what the link is saying about when the system will be sold and why it hasn't already. Any idea how much it might cost ?