Thales Partners with FEBUS Optics to Pioneer Next-Generation Security for Undersea Infrastructure

Thales Partners with FEBUS Optics to Pioneer Next-Generation Security for Undersea Infrastructure

(IN BRIEF) Thales has partnered with FEBUS Optics to develop advanced monitoring solutions for critical undersea infrastructure (CUI), such as communication cables and pipelines, in response to rising security demands. The collaboration combines Thales’ expertise in underwater detection and sonar systems with FEBUS Optics’ Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) technology, which enables seamless, long-distance monitoring of underwater assets. This partnership aims to enhance CUI protection, while also advancing France’s defense technology base and supporting FEBUS Optics’ growth into the defense sector.

(PRESS RELEASE) LA DÉFENSE, 6-Nov-2024 — /EuropaWire/ — Thales has entered a strategic partnership with FEBUS Optics, a French innovator in Distributed Fibre Optic Sensing (DFOS), to co-develop advanced monitoring solutions for critical undersea infrastructure (CUI). This collaboration aims to address the growing demand for infrastructure protection in the undersea environment, where securing long-distance assets such as communication cables, power lines, and pipelines is increasingly essential in light of modern geopolitical pressures.

With a proven record in underwater detection technology, Thales is well-positioned to tackle the challenges associated with CUI protection. FEBUS Optics contributes its Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) technology, a solution known for its straightforward deployment and cost-effectiveness, which requires only a single-ended connection to an optical fibre. This technology leverages light backscattering within the optical fibre to detect acoustic signals generated near the infrastructure, enabling real-time activity monitoring and precise geolocation of potential threats or anomalies along vast stretches of underwater installations.

By integrating the acoustic data gathered via FEBUS Optics’ DAS with Thales’ expertise in sonar array design and acoustic analysis, the collaboration will enhance Thales’ BlueGuard surveillance system. This integration will create a seamless solution for monitoring the volume of water around crucial undersea infrastructure, providing early-warning capabilities essential for safeguarding these assets.

The partnership marks a significant step in combining R&D efforts toward solutions that directly tackle the complexities of CUI protection. It also reinforces the development of France’s defence and technological base and bolsters FEBUS Optics’ growth trajectory, as the company expands into the defence sector from its base in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France.

Marc Delorme, Director of Unmanned Systems for Thales Underwater Systems, highlighted that “FEBUS Optics’ technology excels at extracting acoustic signals through optical fibre. By harnessing Thales’ experience in sonar design, we can deploy this technology for critical operational monitoring.” FEBUS Optics CEO Etienne Almoric added, “This partnership not only leverages our complementary technologies but also enables FEBUS to access new markets and meet the stringent demands of the defence sector.”

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SOURCE: Thales