Sonistics enables NATO engagement with industry

Delegations from around 32 NATO and partner nations will be meeting at a January 2013 conference in Athens to discuss the theme of ‘Alert and Locate’ in a submarine accident.  The meeting will consider a situation where survivors are on the surface awaiting rescue.  As sea states vary from ocean to ocean, the challenges faced by potential survivors range from hypothermia to heat exhaustion with dehydration.

UK-based Sonistics are co-ordinating and advising specialist companies from Australia, Canada, Europe, Singapore and the USA to participate in the conference, offering them a unique opportunity to both network and launch new products and services.

Lt Cdr Bogaert of the Royal Netherlands Navy and Chairman of the NATO Submarine Escape Equipment (SEE) Panel commented: “This conference is very important to the survivability of submariners.  Sonistics brings industry into the confines of a NATO conference enabling access to a fresh source of equipment together with an opportunity to troubleshoot in-service components. Their thirty years’ experience is invaluable and they will be on hand at the conference to answer technical or logistical questions.” 

The SEE consists of all NATO and partner nations operating submarine fleets. The Panel meets once a year and reports back to the Submarine Escape and Rescue Working Group in June 2013 where the information gathered is shared as part of the conference.

Another NATO assembly being held in Amsterdam in 2013 is the Underwater Diving Working Group where Sonistics will introduce the commercial element to this conference with the aim of bridging the gap between global defence ministries and industry.