An undisclosed NATO member has awarded Kraken Robotics Inc. a follow-on contract to supply minehunting equipment for its naval force.
The Canada-based maritime technology firm will provide additional KATFISH sonars, Tentacle Winch, and autonomous launch and recovery systems (ALARS) for $9 million.
The deal also covers the integration of the KATFISH into the NATO country’s mine countermeasure vessels, with Kraken expected to deliver the equipment between 2023 and 2024.
“We are very pleased to sign this follow-on contract to supply additional KATFISH™ and ALARS systems for the NATO Navy’s new minehunting vessels,“ Kraken President and CEO Karl Kenny said.
“Like many other NATO countries, Kraken’s customers are upgrading their minehunting capabilities, as the war in the Ukraine with Russia highlights the need for stronger national security.”
KATFISH and Tentacle Winch
Kraken’s KATFISH is a stabilized synthetic aperture sonar towfish with a speed of up to 10 knots (18.5 kilometers/11.5 miles per hour).
It has high-resolution area coverage and a constant resolution range with simultaneous 3D bathymetry, which enables wide coverage of detection and reduced operating time.
Tentacle Winch is a fully electric winch system that uses control algorithms for safe and effective deployment and recovery.
It leverages a dynamic motion with ALARS and records video in real-time during remote operations.
Kraken Minehunters in Multinational Naval Forces
In 2020, Kraken signed a contract with the Danish Acquisition and Logistics Organization to provide sonar-based minehunting capabilities for the Royal Danish Navy.
The Polish Navy also ordered a supply of Kraken mine countermeasure systems and equipment to integrate into the command’s new KORMORAN II minehunters in Gdansk.