Ultra Maritime secures £40 million contract to deliver sonobuoys for Royal Navy

03.02.2026 12:27

Navaltoday.com

Ultra Maritime has secured a £40 million contract from the UK Ministry of Defense (MoD) to deliver sonobuoys for the Royal Navy’s Merlin maritime patrol helicopter.

Sonobuoys are the frontline sensors of the UK’s anti-submarine warfare (ASW) network, and give the Royal Navy the ability to detect, track and deter hostile submarines and other underwater vessels.

Based at RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall, the Royal Navy’s Merlin Helicopter Force is deployed on the frontline with its Merlin Mk2 aircraft to defend UK waters.

Helicopter flights regularly deploy from 814 Naval Air Squadron to Royal Navy frigates, Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships, or the navy’s forward operating base at Prestwick in Scotland. Sister unit 824 Naval Air Squadron is also held at high readiness to respond to any threats identified within UK waters.

“Our anti-submarine capability is essential to protect Royal Navy submarines and the UK’s nuclear deterrent. The capability offered using sonobuoys forms an essential part of the toolkit used to identify, track and deter submarine threats,” Capt. James Hall, the commanding officer of RNAS Culdrose, said.

Alongside this contract, which covers design, development, engineering and manufacturing, Ultra Maritime has made significant investments in its UK footprint and recently expanded its London manufacturing facility.

Ultra Maritime is also working with the MoD on miniaturized sonobuoys for uncrewed air systems, expanding the UK’s future undersea surveillance reach and accelerating the transition to next-generation autonomous ASW systems.