Towed Synthetic Aperture Sonar

Kraken’s KATFISH is an advanced, actively stabilized Synthetic Aperture Sonar (SAS) towfish system engineered to deliver exceptional seabed intelligence with ultra‑high‑resolution data down to 2 cm × 2 cm. Designed for precision, the KATFISH towbody incorporates articulated tailfins and a sophisticated autonomous control system that constantly adjusts for vessel motion and changing ocean conditions. This dynamic stabilisation ensures the towfish maintains optimal altitude, attitude, and positioning throughout the survey, resulting in consistently sharp, high‑fidelity imagery. Beyond its imaging performance, KATFISH is built for efficiency. Its intelligent autopilot enables the towfish to fly closer to the seabed with superior control, allowing operators to achieve significantly higher Area Coverage Rates (ACR) compared to traditional side‑scan sonar systems.

Key features

• Conduct high‑efficiency surveys at 4–10 knots without compromising data quality
• Maintain stable performance at 5–30 m survey altitudes in 300 m water depths
• Achieve wide‑area coverage with 200 m per‑side survey range
• Integrated multibeam nadir gap‑filler ensures complete seafloor imaging with no coverage gaps
• Reach impressive 3.5 km²/hr area coverage rates, significantly increasing mission throughput
• Optimised for high‑tempo operations, reducing total time on‑station for large survey zones
• Delivers consistent results across varying sea states, enhancing operational predictability
• Supports both broad‑area reconnaissance and high‑resolution search missions, adapting to changing mission needs

Applications

Defence & Security

• Mine Countermeasure (MCM) operations
• Harbour and critical infrastructure surveys

Offshore Energy (Oil, Gas, Renewables)

• Pipeline and cable route surveys
• Offshore wind site characterisation
• Inspection of subsea infrastructure

Hydrographic & Oceanographic Survey

• Seabed mapping and habitat classification
• Archaeology & environmental monitoring

Commercial Survey Services

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Kraken KATFISH