British Army Wants to Acquire SONUS Fire Detection System Five Years Ahead of Schedule

The British military will receive the new SONUS acoustic system earlier than planned. Delivery has been accelerated by five years.

This was reported by the UK Government. A £18.3 million contract was signed with Leonardo UK.

The system is capable of detecting small arms fire, mortars, and other sources of fire.

The data allows for quick determination of direction and coordinates.

The system operates in passive mode. It does not emit signals and does not expose the unit.

The new version is 70% lighter than the previous one. This simplifies transportation.

Deployment time is less than three minutes. Units will be able to respond more quickly to fire.

London explains the acceleration by a change in the nature of threats. The army is strengthening its capabilities to detect firing positions.

Minister of State for Defence Readiness and Industry Luke Pollard said the decision would increase the protection of personnel. The agreement also supports national industry.

The contract provides about 250 jobs. Twenty-nine small and medium-sized enterprises are involved in production.

According to forecasts by the UK Ministry of Defense, this purchase is part of an overall increase in defense spending. By 2027, it is expected to reach 2.6% of GDP.

How SONUS works

Using acoustics, it is possible to “listen” to a shot. But relying on your own hearing is not enough — accuracy is important. SONUS passively detects three types of sounds from artillery or mortar shots:

• The “exit” of the projectile from the barrel.
• The sound of the projectile in flight.
• The sound of the shell exploding on impact.

The UK government also recently signed an agreement with Leonardo to modernize the radars of Royal Air Force fighter jets.