A18-M
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French mid-size mine-hunting AUV that maps the seabed with synthetic aperture sonar, chosen for France's future mine-warfare system.
A18-M is a mid-size mine-countermeasure AUV from Exail (formerly ECA Group) and a core piece of France's shift to stand-off, uncrewed mine hunting. The 4.5 m, 442 kg vehicle works from 3 to 300 m and runs for up to 24 hours at 3 knots, imaging 20 to 40 km² of seabed per mission with an interferometric synthetic aperture sonar. It can be launched from an uncrewed Inspector 125 surface vessel, a mine-countermeasure ship, other vessels, or the shore, so sailors stay out of the minefield while the AUV searches. In 2024 France's DGA chose Thales and Exail to supply A18-M-based AUVs carrying Thales' SAMDIS 600 sonar for the SLAMF programme.
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Exail specifications: 18 in diameter, 4.5 m length, 442 kg, 3-300 m operating depth, up to 24 hours at 3 kn, 20-40 km² per mission, launch from an Inspector 125 USV, an MCM ship, other vessels, or shore, STANAG 1364 compliant. In 2024 the DGA selected Thales and Exail to deliver eight A18-M-based AUVs with SAMDIS 600 sonar, plus eight in option.
