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C2 Robotics and Thales Australia have announced a partnership to integrate Thales’ sovereign sensor technology into the Australian-made C2 Robotics Speartooth large uncrewed underwater vehicle (LUUV).
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The locally designed and developed sonar sensors and processing is expected to enhance Speartooth’s ability to navigate autonomously at long range with higher levels of safety, reliability, and precision.
In addition, the partnership between C2 Robotics and Thales Australia is expected to support the development of sovereign autonomous maritime systems, enhance customer trust in Speartooth and increase the range of missions it can perform.
“Collaborating with Thales, whose proficiency in sonar and acoustic payloads is world renowned, has the potential to accelerate Speartooth’s capabilities and footprint on an AUKUS stage,” said Dr Tom Loveard, chief technology officer, C2 Robotics.
“Most importantly, all of the sensors and electronics that will be integrated with Speartooth under this agreement are designed and produced locally at Thales’ Acoustics Centre of Excellence, Rydalmere, Sydney.
“This aligns with C2 Robotics’ approach of ensuring supply chain resilience and generating mass based on Australian industry.”
Thales’ extensive industrial footprint, coupled with its sovereign technology expertise, will enable its sonar solutions to be scaled appropriately for performance and cost when integrated into the Speartooth LUUV.
This will allow C2 Robotics to achieve its goal of delivering an affordable, long-range platform that can be produced at scale in Australia.
“This exciting partnership represents a significant opportunity to develop Australia’s sovereign autonomous maritime capability by leveraging the expertise of an innovative Australian SME,” said Troy Stephen, vice-president underwater systems, Thales Australia and New Zealand.
“C2 Robotics have been collaborating with Navy for several years on Speartooth and in that time they have demonstrated the maturity of the vessel.
“We are very pleased to be able to support C2 Robotics’ focus on manufacturing scalability and their speed to capability ethos.”
The announcement was made during the Royal Australian Navy’s recent Exercise Autonomous Warrior Maritime Big Play 2024 that took place at Jervis Bay in October 2024. The exercise tested a range of autonomous technologies below and on the surface of the ocean and includes C2 Robotics’ Speartooth LUUV.
“The Royal Australian Navy is very supportive of this partnership. It’s a great example of Australian defence industry collaborating to advance our maritime uncrewed systems,” said Commodore Michael Turner, RAN, Director General Maritime Integrated Systems.
