Sonar 2076 is a submarine sonar detection system designed by Thales for the Royal Navy.
The system comprises an integrated suite of active and passive sonar systems including bow, fin, flank and towed arrays.[1] Known components include :
Support systems include command consoles, upgraded radio communications, upgraded signature reduction, and new flexi couplings to reduce self noise. Sonar 2076 is designed to be fitted into both the new Astute-class submarines and the existing Trafalgar-class submarine, allowing the Royal Navy's entire submarine fleet to have a common sonar system. BAE claims that the 2076 represents a "step change" over previous sonars and is the world's most advanced and effective sonar system.[2] It is said to have 13,000 hydrophones, many times the number fitted in previous Royal Navy systems[3] and more than any other submarine sonar in the world.[4] The processing power of the system is said to be equivalent to 60,000 home PCs.[5]
Swiftsure and Trafalgar Update manager, Captain Ian Hughes said, "A good analogy for the performance of Sonar 2076 is that if the submarine was in Winchester it would be able to track a double decker bus going round Trafalgar Square" (a distance of 60 miles).[6]