Norwegian technology and defense company KONGSBERG announced the completion of its 100 percent acquisition of Sonatech, a California-based undersea acoustics engineering firm. According to the company, the undisclosed transaction is intended to strengthen KONGSBERG’s autonomous underwater capabilities and expand its position as a technology supplier to the U.S. Navy.
KONGSBERG press release:
Sonatech is a California-based undersea acoustics engineering and manufacturing company with more than 50 years of experience and a long history as a key technology supplier to the US Navy.
“Maritime domain awareness is critical in today’s rapidly evolving security landscape, and this acquisition strengthens KONGSBERG’s position as a partner to the US Navy and provides exciting growth opportunities in the US. Sonatech and KONGSBERG’s technology portfolios and expertise are complementary, and together they will expand the systems and products available in the US,” said Eirik Lie, President and Chief Executive Officer of KONGSBERG.
Strengthening underwater capabilities
KONGSBERG’s expertise spans acoustic sensors, advanced navigation and positioning technology, autonomous systems and advanced signal processing. Its autonomous underwater solutions include the HUGIN family of autonomus underwater vehicles (AUV). It enables covert seabed intelligence gathering and can carry customised payloads for different mission profiles.
Modern unmanned underwater and surface vehicles equipped with advanced sonar technologies are supporting missions including mine countermeasures, underwater operations, harbor defence and the protection of critical undersea infrastructure.
“The HUGIN family of AUV’s provides a wide range of capabilities. From shallow to deep water capabilities – from a few days to weeks of endurance and from high-quality survey with the highest-resolution sensors to special missionised versions for the defence market. Our technology aligns well with Sonatech’s capabilities and will give the US Navy access to cutting-edge products, systems and solutions,” said Camilla Kiss, Executive Vice President, KONGSBERG and President of the Discovery division.
Sonatech is a key provider to the US Navy of advanced sonar and underwater communication solutions and expertise in technical design, development and manufacturing.
KONGSBERG acquired 100 percent of Sonatech. The transaction value is undisclosed.
About Sonatech
Sonatech is a technology company based in Santa Barbara, California, with more than 100 skilled employees. In 2024, the company reported revenue of USD 33 million. Sonatech specialises in developing and manufacturing customised devices, subsystems and systems that transmit, receive, and process acoustic signals through the ocean.