Lockheed Martin Canada has selected Thales Canada to provide its advanced S2087 anti-submarine towed array sonar system for the Royal Canadian Navy’s future River-class destroyers, strengthening the fleet’s long-range underwater detection capabilities.
Designed to identify and track submarines and other underwater threats in both coastal and deep-sea environments, the S2087 is part of Thales’ proven CAPTAS sonar family. The system is already operational aboard the Royal Navy’s Type 23 frigates, is slated for integration on future Type 26 frigates, and has also been chosen for Australia’s Hunter-class frigates. Its adoption by Canada means the sonar will serve with three Five Eyes navies, enhancing interoperability among allied maritime forces.
The Royal Canadian Navy becomes the 20th navy worldwide to select a CAPTAS system, with many users belonging to NATO. Under the contract, Thales will collaborate with Canadian industry partners to provide long-term maintenance, upgrades, and lifecycle support, ensuring sovereign control over critical sonar capabilities.
The sonar will equip Canada’s upcoming River-class destroyers, the centerpiece of the country’s National Shipbuilding Strategy and its largest naval construction program since the Second World War. Irving Shipbuilding is leading the project, while Lockheed Martin Canada serves as the Combat Systems Integrator.
A total of 15 River-class ships are planned, with the first vessel expected to enter service in the early 2030s and deliveries continuing into the 2050s. Based on BAE Systems’ Type 26 design and sharing commonality with Australia’s Hunter-class frigates, the 151-meter warships will replace the Royal Canadian Navy’s Halifax-class frigates and retired Iroquois-class destroyers. Equipped with missiles, torpedoes, guns, autocannons, helicopters, drones, and support craft, the vessels will carry a crew of approximately 210 personnel and form the backbone of Canada’s future naval combat fleet.
