The Dutch Ministry of Defence has awarded Optics11 a contract to further develop and deliver a containerized fiber – optic towed array sonar system for enhanced underwater threat detection.
Traditionally deployed only on specialized naval vessels, the towed array systems can now be installed on a wider range of crewed and un – crewed vessels through Optics11’s containerized design.
Contracted under the Anti-Submarine Warfare In A Box program, the OptiArray system is intended to strengthen the readiness and self-sufficiency of the Royal Netherlands Navy amid growing underwater threats to subsea and maritime infrastructure from espionage, sabotage, and hybrid warfare.
Beyond delivering the operational systems, the project will establish the production and integration capabilities needed for large-scale deployment while strengthening domestic manufacturing and supply chains for future underwater sensing programs.
“The underwater threat environment is evolving rapidly, but advanced threat sensing has traditionally been confined to a small number of specialist naval platforms. By containerizing OptiArray, we’re making world-class detection faster, more flexible and cheaper,” Optics11 CEO Paul Heiden said.
“We want to set the standard for unmanned underwater and above-water drones, as our technology is a perfect fit: light, compact, highly sensitive and very accurate. As critical subsea infrastructure becomes increasingly contested, prevention starts with detection.”
Passive Sensing
Unlike conventional electrical towed arrays, which rely on powered electronics and are susceptible to electrical noise and electromagnetic interference, OptiArray uses passive fiber – optic sensing to capture richer acoustic data. This enables earlier threat detection, more accurate target classification, and improved operational decision – making.
Project Leader Otto Koetsier said fiber – optic cables can be significantly longer than conventional copper cables, enabling more hydrophones and improved signal discrimination.
“You can make that cable very long. Longer cables perform better through fiber optics because they have less signal loss than electrically through a copper cable. And the longer the cable, the more hydrophones you can hang on it, improving your ability to distinguish signals from background noise,” he explained.
The fiber – optic design also eliminates the risk of electrical short circuits and does not generate electromagnetic fields or detectable emissions.
According to Optics11 Commercial Director Mark Jacobs, the electronics-free cable does not radiate signals, making it difficult for adversaries to detect.
“There is also no electromagnetic field around it, so it will never cause any disturbance if you pass over it with a radar, for example… and because it contains no electronics, the cable does not radiate anything and is undetectable to others.”
- The Defense Post