Ensign Subsea Systems Bags Defence Contract

Ensign Subsea Systems, a member of the AAE Technologies, has recently been awarded a significant defence contract by an undisclosed major naval power.

Utilising the technology produced by its sister company, Applied Acoustic Engineering (AAE), the award is for the supply and support of multiple units of AAE’s Nexus 2 USBL tracking system that are be installed on the Navy’s next generation of mine countermeasures (MCM) vessels.

Worth in excess of £1.5 million, the contract award follows a long period of testing, evaluation and enhancement of the system in close cooperation with the Navy and its prime contractor, heightening the reputation of the Nexus 2 USBL as a fundamental feature within the MCM toolbox, the company said.

Gavin Willoughby, director of Ensign Subsea Systems, said: “Although several hundred of the group’s USBL systems are operating in a commercial survey environment, we have now supplied close to 250 subsea tracking systems to the global defence market; and with more than 100 of those primarily installed for MCM operations, I believe we are now the leading name in this specific area of maritime security operations.”