FarSounder FLS on DARPA’s NOMARS USV

FarSounder is proud to announce that, through Serco, Inc., its Argos 3D Forward Looking Sonar (FLS) is included in the navigation system on the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA) recently completed No Manning Required Ship (NOMARS) demonstration vessel. The project is the development of USX-1 Defiant—a first-of-its-kind unmanned surface vessel (USV) designed to operate autonomously for extended durations at sea without any onboard crew.

The NOMARS program aims to challenge the traditional naval architecture model, designing a seaframe (the ship without mission systems) from the ground up with no provision, allowance, or expectation for humans on board. By removing the human element from all ship design considerations, the program intends to demonstrate significant advantages, to include: size, cost, at-sea reliability, greater hydrodynamic efficiency, survivability to sea-state, and survivability to adversary actions through stealth considerations and tampering resistance.

As part of this innovative program, FarSounder’s Argos FLS was integrated into the vessel’s navigation suite to enhance situational awareness and support the ship’s real-time obstacle avoidance capabilities. This integration reflects FarSounder’s increasing presence within the autonomous and unmanned sector, providing enhanced navigation for vessels conducting complex missions in challenging marine environments.

The Defiant, a 180-foot, 240-metric-ton vessel, completed construction in early 2025 at Nichols Brothers Boat Builders shipyard and is now undergoing in-water and at-sea testing. Its successful deployment marks a significant milestone in autonomous naval operations.

“This program represents a major step forward in the evolution of unmanned maritime systems,” said Matthew Zimmerman, CEO and Co-Founder of FarSounder. “We’re honored to contribute our technology to an effort that pushes the boundaries of ship design and operational autonomy.”

FarSounder is proud to have its Argos system on this project as they continue to expand their footprint in the unmanned and autonomous vessel sector. With over two decades of expertise in real-time 3D navigation, its forward-looking sonar systems are increasingly being selected by defense, commercial, and research initiatives seeking advanced situational awareness below the waterline.

FarSounder’s patented technology is based on a combination of advanced acoustics and signal-processing techniques that provides a wide field of view (up to 60 degrees at 1,000 meters) and up to eight times the current water depth (detecting the seabed up to 160 meters away at a 20-meter depth).

Forward-looking 3D sonar technology gives the captain several key advantages to navigational safety. Besides detecting obstacle and hazards ahead, the system complements chart data by mapping the seafloor of objects that may not show on a chart, especially in remote or less-surveyed areas. The system also enhances situational awareness to take the surprise out of unknown obstacles which helps to prevent groundings and collisions. It’s particularly helpful in low visibility too. The FarSounder lineup of single-ping Argos sonars have a fast update rate to provide vessels with real-time navigation imagery.

 

For more information you may contact the FarSounder Official Dealer and Support Center for Greece:

Aegean Electronics SA

4 Zosimadon Str, Piraeus 185 31, Greece

Tel: +30 210 4123000

E-mail: info@aegeanel.com