Thales Unit Wins $53.9M Navy Mine Hunting Deal

Advanced Acoustic Concepts will supply two Remote Mine Hunting modules to the U.S. Navy under an initial contract with options that could raise its value to $196.2 million.

Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Military Jobs

Towed sonar body and a small undersea vehicle entering calm grey-green harbor water beside a plain grey naval hull under overcast light. — Thales subsidiary Advanced Acoustic Concepts won a $53.9 million U.S. Navy contract for two Remote Mine Hunting modules, with options that could lift its value to $196.2 million. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Thales subsidiary Advanced Acoustic Concepts won a $53.9 million U.S. Navy contract for two Remote Mine Hunting modules, announced from Clarksburg, Md. The contract includes options that could increase the total cumulative value to $196.2 million.

Why it matters

The program supports the Navy's Mine Countermeasures mission in contested maritime environments, allowing sailors to detect and classify undersea mines from a stand-off distance. The award reflects the Navy's continued investment in unmanned and AI-assisted undersea warfare capabilities.

The initial award is valued at $53.9 million for two integrated modules, with options that could lift the cumulative value to $196.2 million. Thales reported 2025 group sales of €22.1 billion across its more than 85,000 employees.

The players

Thales

Thales is a French multinational technology company operating across defense, aerospace and digital security sectors, with more than 85,000 employees in 65 countries.

Advanced Acoustic Concepts

Advanced Acoustic Concepts is a U.S.-based subsidiary of Thales that provides undersea warfare solutions, including sonar and mine countermeasure systems.

U.S. Navy

The U.S. Navy is the naval warfare branch of the United States Armed Forces, responsible for maritime operations including mine countermeasures.

The details

The Remote Mine Hunting solution uses a Find, Fix and Finish approach, combining an advanced multiview towed Synthetic Aperture Sonar, AI-augmented Automatic Target Recognition software, and remotely operated vehicle technology. The contract also covers accompanying engineering support.

Thales reported 2025 group sales of €22.1 billion.
The contract award was announced on November 1, 2026.

Market Landscape

The award places Thales's Advanced Acoustic Concepts unit within the Navy's ongoing Mine Countermeasures effort, a niche where unmanned undersea systems are replacing manned clearance methods. The option structure suggests the Navy may expand the program if the initial modules perform as planned.

For defense contractors and their workforces, the award signals continued Navy demand for undersea warfare technology. The option structure means the program's total value, and the hiring tied to it, depends on future Navy decisions.

The takeaway

Navy mine countermeasures are shifting toward remote, AI-assisted systems that keep sailors at a safer distance. Contracts like this one show how defense spending on unmanned undersea capabilities is taking shape.