Thales and Al Fattan partner to provide the next generation of mine counter measures system to the UAE Naval Forces

Thales and Al Fattan partner to provide the next generation of mine counter measures system to the UAE Naval Forces

Thales and Al Fattan have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to address the technological sovereignty and security of the United Arab Emirates, combining know-how of both companies, with Al Fattan designing, building, and integrating into the future Mother Ship the Thales Mine Countermeasures toolbox.

The Maritime Mine Countermeasures (MMCM) programme have been delivered by Thales, acting as a system of systems integrator, to the French and Royal Navies since 2021. The M-Cube Thales Mission Management System thanks to the open architecture enables the integration of any Navy requirements in terms of assets: AUV; ROV: USV made in the UAE.

In line with the UAE Vision 2031, this cooperation between Thales and Al Fattan will provide one of the most technology-focused and advanced maritime systems program with unique and sovereign technology capabilities designed, developed and manufactured in Abu Dhabi.

United Arab Emirates – 27 February 2023 – Al Fattan and Thales, two leading companies in the maritime domain, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) during IDEX/NAVDEX 2023 to offer the next-generation mine countermeasures system to the United Arab Emirates’ Naval Forces. This partnership aims to provide a unique “system of systems” based on unmanned assets that addresses the full range of configurations and needs of Navies, meeting the requirements of safety, flexibility, swiftness, interoperability, and evolution.

Al Fattan Ship Industry was established in 1987, under the guidance of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan, the President of the United Arab Emirates, who is the main supporter for this Industry. The company has fully established as a world-class shipyard since 2009, expanding footprint in the modern shipbuilding industry with state-of-the-art facility in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Al Fattan has undertaken major retrofit and upgrade programs, systems integrations on various types of vessels including military & training ships, commercial & oilfield support vessels.

Thales, a global leader in high technology systems including mine countermeasures, has developed a unique and trusted technology designed to strengthen the protection of maritime domains, ensuring freedom of civil navigation and limit human exposure to threats.

Mine warfare operations are evolving towards unmanned, remote or autonomous modes. The next generation of drones, systems and collaborative intelligence software is expected to substantially decrease operators’ workload to deliver on the mission, with an improved level of performance and confidence. As such, the navies need to strengthen their mine warfare capabilities by reinforcing their existing platforms with modern, robust, mature, and unmanned solutions.

The breakthrough unmanned mine countermeasure systems developed by Thales include several subsystems such as a cutting-edge sonar (SAMDIS) offering unique Single Path Multi View capability to identify and classify threats. The SAMDIS sonar is embedded in the Towed Synthetic Aperture Multiviews (TSAM) vehicle operated from the USV and/or carried by AUV. The USV can also carry a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) to neutralize threats previously identified and classified. The entire system is supervised remotely by operators working from a Portable Operational Centre (POC). This POC can control up to three systems at sea simultaneously thanks to the mine counter measure M-Cube mission management system as well as MiMap, a mission analysis tool. This allows operators to analyse sonar data either in real-time or record for post-mission analysis. MiMap enables to efficiently investigate the seabed, classify and localize contacts and report changes from the last known state of an area. Combined to MiMap, M-Cube reduces the cognitive load of commanders and operators, helping them to make effective and efficient decision in a harsh threat environment.

Al Fattan will partner with Thales’s local entity Thales Emarat Technologies that already develop key technologies within the UAE, contributing to the development of local skills and capabilities in the defense industry.

Al Fattan is one of the fastest-growing partner of integrated offshore support, vessels, logistics, and marine services in the Gulf Cooperation Council region, thus the best partner to deploy the Thales Mine Counter Measures toolboxes from a dedicated mothership.

“This partnership between Thales and AI Fattan will combine our expertise and technologies in the naval defense field to better serve Naval Forces in the UAE. Through our local entity Thales Emarat Technologies, we are committed to working with our partners in the region to empower our customers and enable them to develop sovereign high-technology solutions.” Emmanuel de Roquefeuil, Vice President of Thales Middle East.

“This successful strategic partnership between Al Fattan and Thales is a notable achievement. We are very proud to partner with Thales to provide the most advanced technology on Mine Counter Measure systems with unique and sovereign technology capabilities, in line with the Vision of His Highness.” Khaled Mohamed Rashed Al Rumaithi, CEO and Owner of Al Fattan.

About Thales

Thales (Euronext Paris: HO) is a global leader in advanced technologies, investing in digital and “deep tech” innovations – connectivity, big data, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and quantum technologies – to build a confident future crucial for the development of our societies. The Group provides its customers – businesses, organizations, and governments – in the defense, aeronautics, space, transport, and digital identity and security domains with solutions, services and products that help them fulfil their critical role, consideration for the individual being the driving force behind all decisions.

Thales has 81,000 employees in 68 countries. In 2021, the Group generated sales of €16.2 billion

About Thales Emarat Technologies

Thales Emarat Technologies (TET) is part of the Tawazun Economic Program. TET is 100% owned by Thales and focuses on centres of excellence for critical systems and a variety of defence and digital aerospace technologies. TET is the vector of Thales’s strategy to be integrated in the local Emirati industrial ecosystem in order to create value and economic impact in the short and medium term. It aims at providing the United Arab Emirates with unique and sovereign technology capabilities in line with UAE Vision.

TET will focus on the development of local engineering capabilities and will foster local partnerships and cooperation with industrial stakeholders. It will benefit from the strategic transfer of technologies in these fields. TET will offer strong local industrial technology base to support growth, Education, localization, and the industrialization strategies of the UAE.

About Al Fattan

Al Fattan Ship Industry was established in the year 1987, under the guidance of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan, the President of the United Arab Emirates, who is the main supporter for this Industry.

Over the years, the company has expanded its services clientele and fully established as a world-class shipyard since 2009. Al Fattan Ship Industry has built strong bond with the clients and is committed to deliver products and services of their choice. By now, this company has made a footprint in the modern Shipbuilding Industry with the State-Of-The-Art facility in Abu Dhabi, UAE, undertaking major Retrofit & Upgrade Programs, Systems Integrations on various types of vessels including Military & Traning ships, Commercial & Oilfield Support Vessels.