About the size of it...

ABOUT THE SIZE OF IT – SAY TODS DEFENCE

The design and build of some of the largest carbon composite submarine structures ever to be produced by Tods Defence has been contracted by shipbuilders Navantia of Spain.

A Bow Sonar Dome is to be manufactured for the first S80 Spanish Navy submarine, with a surface area of over 80m2. Constructed in three large sections and delivered for final assembly and installation in Spain, the sophisticated multifunctional composite acoustic windows are designed to protect and optimise the performance of the bow underwater detection and warfare sensors.

Tods defence will provide the Bow Sonar Domes for all four scheduled vessels in the submarine programme over the next four years.

Steve Burton, Managing Director Tods Defence says: “We gained invaluable experience in building large composite structures for the UK Royal Navy, which include structures for the current Astute submarine build programme, but with the Navantia contract we have had to push the technical boundaries of composite material engineering even further. Both we, and shipbuilder Navantia are delighted with this technical advance.”