News

SAES takes part in the 75th anniversary of the Maritime Mine Countermeasure Forces

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The celebration of the 75th anniversary includes the publication of a commemorative book titled ‘The evolution of the mine warfare in the Spanish Army’, by Javier Núñez de Prado Aparicio. The book is a historic view of the Maritime Mine Countermeasure Forces, created 26th April 1946 when ‘Bidasoa’ minesweeper, the first mine countermeasure vessel, was delivered to the Spanish Navy.

The ‘Arsenal Militar’ (a military naval base and shipyard) in Cartagena has celebrated today the 75th anniversary of the Maritime Mine Countermeasure Forces central event at the ‘Juan de Borbón’ quay, near the ‘Tambre’ and ‘Duero’ minesweepers. The event has been chaired by Maritime Action Vice Admiral, Juan Luis Sobrino Pérez-Crespo.

The commemoration of this anniversary has been attended by a MCM Forces veteran representation as well as local authorities and partner companies such as SAES, represented by its General Manager, Cristina Abad Salinas. The event honoured those who gave their lives for Spain and a special mention was made to those who died when ‘Guadalete’ minesweeper shipwrecked in 1954, followed by the reading of some penal laws. MCM Forces Commander, Navy Captain Miguel Cuartero Lorenzo, who played a significant role organising the 75th anniversary events, ended the event with a closing speech followed by the Spanish Army Hymn.

SAES takes part in the 75th anniversary of the Maritime Mine Countermeasure Forces
MCM Forces Commander, Navy Captain Miguel Cuartero Lorenzo greets the General Manager of SAES, Cristina Abad Salinas.

A commemorative book titled ‘The evolution of the mine warfare in the Spanish Army’ has just been published by the MCM Forces on the occasion of the 75th anniversary. The publication, edited by Javier Núñez de Prado Aparicio, has been sponsored by SAES among other partner companies. In the book the historic link between SAES and the MCM Forces is well detailed, starting with the development of the minesweeper combat system (by Navantia Sistemas in collaboration with SAES) which can locate, classify, and identify all kinds of naval mines.

In mine warfare there are two branches that evolve together: on the one hand, the naval mine and mining operations, and, on the other hand, counter-mining operations, to tackle the effects. SAES has systems that support both branches of mine warfare: MINEA smart mine and MIRS, a multi-influence signature measurement system for ships and submarines.

MCM Force 

The MCM Force is part of the ‘Standing NATO Mine Counter Measures’ (SNMCMG-2) or the ‘European Maritime Force’ (EUROMARFOR), among other military groups. It also takes part in a variety of international exercises such as the advanced multinational MCM exercise SPANISH MINEX.

SAES sponsors the first Mine Countermeasures Webinar (I WCMM) in Brazil

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Javier Rodrigo, Maritime Safety Product Manager, gives a conference on SAES expertise in underwater defence as well as signature measurement, smart naval mines and TDD (Target Detection Devices).

SAES showcases its CMM capabilities at the First Webinar on Mine Countermeasures (I WCMM)
SAES showcases its CMM capabilities at the First Webinar on Mine Countermeasures (I WCMM)

SAES takes part and sponsors the first Mine Countermeasures Webinar (I WCMM) hold 9-10 November in Salvador de Bahia (Brazil). The event is organised by the Brazilian Navy, through the 2nd Naval District Command. This edition goes online due to the restrictions recommended by the COVID-19 pandemic, and features the participation of the Brazilian and French Navies, as well as international corporations such as Saab, Omnisys / Thales, Abeking & Rasmussen and Kongsberg.

The Brazilian Navy, through the 2nd Naval District Command, holds every two years an International Congress, presential, focused on Mine Countermeasures (MCM) Operations. According to the organisers, the event aims to promote the exchange of technical and doctrinal information, strengthen ties between Navies, disseminate new systems available in the market and projects, as well as promote possible partnerships.

SAES participation aims to increase business opportunities in Brazil with the Maritime Safety product line. Javier Rodrigo presentation, as Maritime Safety Product Manager, has shown SAES expertise in mine warfare, mine countermeasures (MCM), signature measurement, naval mines supply and Target Detection Devices.

SAES has developed its own design of the TDD component that is installed in its naval mines, as well as in other mines or in other different kinds of carcases which emulate both the form and the functioning of different kinds of mines. Several Navies are updating their current mines by integrating modern TDD elements with more capabilities, such us the one designed by SAES.

SAES, as a company specialised in underwater defence and in particular in naval mines, has been invited as an expert in the field since the first edition of this conference, back in 2017 in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). SAES has also participated in the ‘Mine Warfare Symposium’ which inspired the current event, where SAES participated altogether with Navantia, with conferences about smart naval mines as well as acoustic, magnetic, electric, seismic and pressure signatures of vessels.

SAES & Thales agree to integrate Thales Sonoflash on SAES sonobuoy processing

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SAES & Thales DMS have declared their intention to reinforce their cooperation in the field of ASW as part of the global commercial collaboration that both companies are strengthening, more particularly within the field of Dipping Sonar and ‘Sonoflash’: a new generation of active sonobuoys to be deployed from fixed & rotary wing aircrafts, as well as UAVs (MALE) for armed forces.

SAES presents its underwater measurement systems for the civil sector at World Maritime Week (WMW) in Bilbao

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SAES exhibits at SINAVAL its MIRS model, a dual application which works as a multi-influence radiation measurement system for ships, as well as an underwater measuring station for environmental assessment. SINAVAL, focused on shipbuilding, is one of the five congresses held by the International Maritime Week. The event is organised by the Bilbao Exhibition Center (BEC) from 5th to 7th October.

SAES participates as a co-exhibitor with Navantia in SINAVAL, the international naval congress part of the “World Maritime Week 2021”, which hosts in parallel 4 other congresses related to the following fields: fishing (EUROFISHING); ports (FUTUREPORT); upstream and downstream oil & gas (OIL & GAS CONFERENCE); and wave, tidal and current energy (OCEAN ENERGY CONFERENCE).

 SAES is interested in the five areas of the WORLD MARITIME WEEK and is showing at SINAVAL its portfolio of underwater measurement and analysis products as well as its services for the civil sector, such as the SDH smart digital hydrophone or the MIRS: a multi-influence signature measurement system for ships, applicable for environmental assessment. This system is one of a wide range of SAES products with dual applications for both the defence and civil markets: from diver detection sonars (detection of underwater intrusion) to multi-influence signature measurement systems and sonobuoys acoustic processor systems.

Adolfo Hernández, SAES Comercial Director ( a la derecha), together with Head of the Civil Market & Security, Eduardo Ruiz.

As specialist in underwater acoustics, SAES is also presenting its DDS-03: a high-frequency sonar specially designed for the for the detection of underwater threats, such as divers and manned and unmanned underwater vehicles, as well as the protection and surveillance of critical infrastructures (whether they are shipyards, ports, aquaculture facilities, oil or gas extraction and processing platforms or marine generators).

The system watches over the underwater area to be protected autonomously and continuously. When detecting a threat, the system generates an alert and continues to monitor it, allowing to know the exact position, distance, trajectory, and type of threat. This information enables to be activated well in advance acoustic deterrents to counter the threat, such as dispatching a patrol to the area.

Both the sonar and the acoustic deterrent system allow their deployment from patrol boats, manned or not, thus expanding the coverage radius of the system, compared to a fixed installation.    

Underwater measurement for the civil sector

SAES has products for underwater measurement and analysis services for the civil sector, such as the SDH smart digital hydrophone or the MIRS system.

The MIRS system measures and processes not only acoustic emissions but also electrical and magnetic radiation and other influences and parameters such as the seismic wave and the temperature.

On the other hand, the SDH is a dual device designed and built to be used by oceanographic institutes, universities, certification companies as well as for applications in the military sector. One of the main applications of the SDH smart digital hydrophone is the measurement of the indicators defined in descriptor 11 (European Directive 2008/56/EC establishing a framework for community action in the field of marine environmental policy).

These solutions are applicable to conducting scientific and environmental studies, as well as to verifying underwater noise levels caused by maritime traffic, construction activities at sea, oil and gas extraction platforms and offshore wind fields, among others; as well as any facility or activity that may introduce energy into the marine environment.

   

SAES participates in Defence and Security Technologies workshops

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The aim of the workshops organised by Círculo Foundation this year is to debate about a ‘new digitalised scenario where everyone is hyperconnected, autonomous and smart’. Experts from the Spanish armed forces, law enforcement agents, university, public research organisations and technology firms are taking part in the event. SAES is present the 29th September in the round table on ‘platforms: complexity, autonomy and intelligence’.

The 19th edition of the Defence and Security Technologies workshops organised by Círculo Foundation take place 29th-30th September in the National Institute for Aerospace Technology (INTA) in Madrid, Spain. The aim of these workshops is to analyse the new scenario faced by the Defence and Security sectors: the growing digitalisation of a hyperconnected, autonomous and intelligent world, focusing on emerging technologies that are boosting this trend (AI, big data, etc.)

Experts from the Spanish armed forces, law enforcement agents, university, public research organisations and technology firms will be debating in conferences and rounded tables on ‘the reasons and significance of these smart technologies our country should be backing’, according to the organisers.

SAES General Manager, Cristina Abad, together with SAES Defense Advisor, José Meca

Representing SAES will be Cristina Abad (general manager); Joaquín López (CEO); Sara García (Head of Digital Transformation and Innovation); and Ignacio Gutiérrez (ASW product manager) who is also a speaker at the round table on new platforms, with representatives of the Spanish Ministry of Defence, Airbus Defence & Space,  Deimos Space, Isdefe and Sener.

According to Cristina Abad, the input from SAES will focus on “AI solutions and on board processing systems which allow an autonomous mission planning with results in real time”. As a great example of this, SAES will show the Antisubmarine Warfare (ASW) ROASW system, which is fully integrated in Navantia’s command and control system since 2016.

Cristina Abad talking to ADIC Manuel Martinez Ruiz, along with AJEMA Antonio Martorell Lacave.

Círculo Foundation

The Círculo Foundation for Defence and Security Technologies (previously known as Military Electronics Circle) was created in 2005 as a meeting forum for discussion including experts and companies from both sectors. Among their main objectives are ‘to promote initiatives to create and develop national technologies to be applied on the Defence and Security sectors’, as well as ‘to boost interaction and cooperation among all beneficiaries of the foundation, especially in innovation and research projects’.

This foundation is integrated by several Spanish Ministries (Defence, Domestic Affairs, Economic Affairs, Science and Innovation) as well as prestigious institutions such as CSIC, CNI, INTA, academia and technology firms from both Defence and Security sectors, including SAES.

SAES supports the 39th edition of the Navy Golf Championship

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The tournament, organised by the Central Board of Physical Education and Sports of the Spanish Navy and supported by SAES since 2009, is held in Cádiz from September 24 to 25.

  The 39th edition of the Navy Golf Championship takes place at the Villanueva Golf & Croquet Resort, in Puerto Real (Cádiz) from 24th to 25th Sep 2021, with a hundred players from different cities across Spain. This championship is part of the Activities Plan created by the Central Board of Physical Education and Sports of the Spanish Navy.

The 39th edition of the Navy Golf Championship takes place at the Villanueva Golf & Croquet Resort, in Puerto Real (Cádiz)

The event is held this year thanks to the improvement of the COVID-19 situation; however, it is required that all players pesent the complete vaccination programme.

All participants will be divided into three categories according to their handicaps, playing under the modality of “stableford” with handicap. The winner will be established according to the best “scratch” result within the modality of the programmed game (“stableford scratch”).

The closing ceremony will be chaired by Admiral Chief of the Arsenal of Cádiz and Chief of the Naval Base of Rota, Vice Admiral, Ricardo A. Hernández López, accompanied by the Admiral Chief of Staff of the Navy, Fausto Escrigas Rodríguez and the Admiral Director of Education Naval, Victoriano Gilabert Agote. As in previous editions, several civil and military authorities will attend, as well as the companies sponsoring the event, such as SAES. Consuelo Lázaro, SAES Director of Operations, will attend representing the company.

SAES is supporting the championship since 2009, considering that the practice of this sport, especially in these times of a global pandemic, helps keeping the psychophysical conditions of all participants and favors both their camaraderie and sportsmanship.

SAES participates with Navantia in DSEI London, the largest international security and defence exhibition

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SAES presents the portable MIRS (Multi Influence Range System), for the measurement of multi-influence signatures for surface vessels and submarines. This system is used to measure ship noise and has important applications in both the defence and environmental sectors.

SAES participates as a co-exhibitor with Navantia at the DSEI (Defence and Security Equipment International) trade exhibition, held in London from September 14th to 17th, where its customised high-tech solutions for the civil and military markets are shown.  

SAES in DSEI 2021
SAES presents MIRS system in DSEI London

As a company specialised in underwater acoustic and non-acoustic signal processing, SAES develops defence and security solutions on board all types of platforms: submarines, surface ships as well as aircraft and anti-submarine helicopters.

Portable multi-influence measurement system

MIRS is a multi-influence signature measurement system for surface and submarine vessels that simultaneously measures magnetic, electrical, acoustic and pressure influences.

Its portability allows its use in the desired scenario for multiple purposes: to obtain the ship’s signature in a real scenario; to use it in a fixed station, as a discrete way of obtaining intelligence in strategic areas; and routine checks of the firm or before of a mission.

Both MIRS underwater measuring station and SDH intelligent digital hydrophone can also be applied to carry out scientific and environmental studies, as well as to measure and study the underwater noise levels emitted from ships and coastal industrial facilities in pre-defined zones of interest. In this way, it is possible to control that these levels remain within defined thresholds as well as to reduce the impact produced by activities such as maritime traffic, construction activities at sea, oil & gas platforms and offshore wind fields.

SAES and the University of Murcia sign a collaboration agreement on cybersecurity

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The agreement is a university-company chair to develop a space to research as well as to develop activities in several cybersecurity areas of common interest. This collaboration project will be valid for the next two years.

The collaboration agreement has been signed this morning by the Hon. Rector of the University of Murcia (UMU), José Luján, and the President of SAES, Joaquín López. This agreement, valid for the next two years, aims to develop several cybersecurity activities of common interest including training, research, innovation and promotion of technical knowledge.

Cátedra SAES Cybersecurity UMU
The Rector of the University of Murcia and the President of SAES signing the collaboration agreement on cybersecurity

This agreement will lead to optimise SAES cybersecurity certifications and resources, as well as to minimise the potential risks for its clients in this field. «Cybersecurity is one of the greatest threats and one of the biggest challenges of the twenty-first century. These threats will continue to evolve, and this is why we need updated protection measures within the companies IT systems, which is especially important in the Defence sector, where SAES develops its main lines of work», explains Cristina Abad, SAES General Manager.

According to Joaquín López, President of SAES, «this agreement means the strengthening of our commitment as a public-owned company to collaborating with the main public universities in the Region of Murcia. This has a clear aim: to leverage their great knowledge and research potential as well as to develop business synergies in cybersecurity and any other fields of common interest».

José Luján, Rector of the University of Murcia, thanked SAES for their trust in them to seek for solutions that society demands as well as the collaboration of all the people included in this project and who make it possible.

The agreement signed today is a R&I initiative funded by SAES and developed in partnership with the University of Murcia. Both institutions are working together for more than 15 years: they started working on some common projects back in 2006 and then they signed their first university-company chair on ‘free software and critical applications in real time’ from 2009 to 2021.

This is also the second agreement signed with a regional university this year, following the one signed in June with the Polytechnic University of Cartagena (UPCT) to boost the use of artificial intelligence in acoustic detection and underwater technologies. According to Joaquín López, President of SAES, «such agreements strengthen our corporate strategy which is firmly committed to a digital transformation». He also added that «strategic partnerships among public universities and public-owned companies are very important because it is possible to return to society their knowledge and experience, with high quality and the best talent in research».

Cátedra SAES Cybersecurity UMU
Cátedra SAES Cybersecurity UMU
SAES and University of Murcia representatives in the signing of the agreement.

SAES participates with Navantia in UNVEX 2021

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SAES presents its ASW solutions for RPAS and underwater sensors for USV and UUV at the Spanish drone fair.

For UAVs, SAES, which participates in UNVEX 2021 as a co-exhibitor with Navantia, supplies state-of-the-art ASW solutions based on sonobuoys, which enable RPAS as an advanced station for submarine early warning, as well as high-technology underwater sensors and improved signal processing for USV (Unmanned Surface Vehicle) and UUV (Unmanned Underwater Vehicles).

SAES participa con Navantia en UNVEX 2021
Illustration 1: Cristina Abad Salinas, General Director of SAES (center), together with Adolfo Hernández Solano, Commercial & Business Development Director (on the left), and Eduardo Ruiz Pérez, Civil, Security & UxVs Sales and Business Develooment Manager (on the right).

In this sense, SAES has shown two presentations at the Navantia-SAES stand. The first one about its ASW solutions for RPAS, which took place on July 7 at 1:00 p.m., by Ignacio Gutiérrez, Head of ASW Line of Business, entitled “ROASW: ASW System for operation with RPAS”.

On March 2014 SAES attended the III Congress on unmanned vehicles UNVEX’2014 in Madrid. On that occasion, the conference by Ignacio Gutiérrez, entitled “Industry Solutions II”, already indicated that the new ASW missions were going to require the use of UAVs as a distant and elevated platform without a dedicated operator.

In the second presentation, entitled “Submarine sensors in UUV and USV”, on July 8 at 11 am, Eduardo Ruiz Pérez, Sales and Business Development Manager for Civil, Security & UxVs, explained that the sensors will have a great relevance in the evolution of aspects such as autonomy of the UUV, where a technological leap is foreseen, of “strategic importance” for defence and industry.

In the field of unmanned underwater vehicles, SAES presented in December 2020, together with Navantia, the ACASUB proposal, within the Ports 4.0 initiative, to provide submarine capabilities to the USV Vendaval from Navantia, in service at the port of Ceuta. Apart from incorporating its real-time monitoring, the estimation of the noise source, object detection and the sending of acoustic signals to divers in the protection area are under development.

SAES also collaborated in the Ocean Master project to develop a vehicle with a dual function, underwater and surface, adaptable to different platforms. In this initiative, which ended a year ago, SAES worked on the payload, integrating a side scan sonar, acoustic communications and its sonar for the detection of divers.

SAES participates in the virtual edition of ADM Sevilla 2021

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It presents its solutions for submarine and antisubmarine defence for naval and air platforms.

SAES participates in the digital event organized by Aerospace and Defence Meetings Sevilla, from May 26 to 27, with a virtual stand, where it shows its antisubmarine warfare systems (ASW) based on sonobuoys for installation on all types of platforms involved in the war naval such as mine hunters, frigates, submarines, MPA aircraft, ASW helicopters and RPAS.

The fifth edition of ADM Sevilla 2021, the largest business event in the aerospace sector in Spain and one of the main in Europe, is organized by Extenda – Andalusia Export and Foreign Investment, and by the French company BCI Aerospace, specialist in international meetings of the Aeronautic sector.

SAES ASW products

The ASW products that SAES presents at ADM Sevilla are the DISOUROS, for combat ships and ASW helicopters, and the SPAS acoustic sonobuoy processing system for Maritime Patrol Aircraft and RPAS.

DISOUROS is a powerful and advanced acoustic processor for detecting, locating and pursuing underwater threats through the integrated use of low frequency dipping sonar (DS) and passive sonobuoys. It provides multi-statism and interoperability between the ASW platforms involved in the mission: corvettes, frigates, helicopters, MPA aircraft. DISOUROS is fully operational on platforms such as the Visby-class corvettes and the A-109 helicopters.

SPAS is an acoustic sonobuoy processor for detecting, locating and chasing underwater threats from aerial platforms. It incorporates the most advanced acoustic processing techniques for all types of passive and active sonobuoys, in analog and digital implementation. SPAS is fully operational in different countries and different platforms such as the P-3B Orion aircraft, the C-295 aircraft and the SH-60B LAMPS helicopter.

SAES also provides ground support systems for both analysis of ASW missions (such as FTAS) and for training acoustic operators (such as TAT).

SAES is the only Spanish company specialized in underwater acoustics and electronics with more than 30 years of experience in Sonar Systems, Submarine Signatures, Submarine Protection and ASW Systems. SAES technology is in service for various Navies and Naval Forces on 5 continents. SAES systems are at the forefront in sonobuoy processing and at the forefront in the international market.