Sound Navigation and Ranging (SONAR) System Market Forecast 2024-2028

The sound navigation and ranging (SONAR) system market size is forecast to increase by USD 1.52 billion, at a CAGR of 7.35% between 2023 and 2028. The market's growth rate is influenced by several factors, including the increasing preference for integrated SONAR systems, the rising adoption of SONAR systems in Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) operations, and the growing frequency of maritime attacks. These factors collectively drive the demand for SONAR systems, indicating a shift towards more advanced and integrated solutions in maritime security and defense. Our report examines historical data from 2018-2022, besides analyzing the current and forecasted market scenario.

Moreover, in the APAC region, the demand for SONAR systems and associated equipment is poised for significant growth, driven by the continuous enhancement of undersea capabilities in countries like China, India, Japan, South Korea, and Australia. ASELSAN AS, a prominent player in this market, offers advanced solutions such as the ASELSAN Intercept Sonar System. This system boasts the capability to detect, track, and analyze active acoustic sources within a frequency range from 1 kHz to 100 kHz.

Market Forecasting and Size

Market  Forecast 2024-2028

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Market Dynamic

The market is driven by increasing demand across various sectors such as hydrography, oil exploration, maritime observation, and military applications like anti-submarine warfare. Trends include the growing use of autonomous underwater vehicles and advancements in passive and active sonar systems. Challenges include addressing environmental concerns in marine exploration, enhancing port security against terrorist acts, and developing effective mine detection and countermeasure systems. SONAR systems play a crucial role in navigation, marine observation, and scientific applications, driving their adoption across diverse industries. Our researchers studied the market research and growth data for years, with 2023 as the base year and 2024 as the estimated year, and presented the key drivers, trends, and challenges for the market.

Key Market Driver - Increasing adoption of SONAR systems in ISR operation

Intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) operations form a pivotal aspect of military missions as intelligence gathering and analyzing information influence decision-making in high-risk operations. Surveillance involves the real-time monitoring of activities and behavior of battlefield entities to observe vital movements. It employs devices with sensors to generate imagery or videos of the field. Reconnaissance is an information-obtaining activity to assess the resources of enemy troops or features of the terrain. These activities are closely related and, in combination, contribute to the situational awareness of commanders.

However, tracking silent submarines in shallow waters is a limited application of monostatic SONAR. Multistatic active SONAR, which incorporates several entities or nodes, generating signals and collecting echoes in a coordinated effort to gain a more accurate view of the target, is a promising alternative to monostatic active SONAR. Thus, the system is deployed for ISR operation to detect, track, and classify divers and other underwater threats, such as swimmer delivery vehicles (SDVs) and autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). Therefore, increasing focus on ISR operations will increase the application and will drive the market during the forecast period.

Significant Market Trends - Increasing demand for synthetic aperture SONAR (SAS)

Synthetic aperture SONAR (SAS) is a form of SONAR in which sophisticated post-processing of SONAR data is used to produce a very narrow, effective beam. SAS is becoming known as an imaging system that can image the seafloor at a range of hundreds of meters with a centimeter resolution. Overcoming several obstacles pertaining to the maritime environment is vital to SAS's success. It is necessary to place the SONAR along the synthetic aperture with accuracy. Synthetic aperture SONAR generates images with an average resolution of ten times higher than traditional by combining several sonic pings.

Additionally, HISAS is a wideband SAS SONAR that operates in the frequency range of 70-100 kHz. It can provide co-registered bathymetry and extremely high-resolution acoustic pictures. This is integrated with Inertial navigation (INS) navigation and makes use of modern signal processing such as Displaced Phase Centre Analysis (DPCA) to process the raw data into images. SAS is used for a range of military and civilian applications, including bathymetry, mapping, mine countermeasures (MCM), underwater archaeology, and environmental research. Thus, increasing demand for SAS is expected to positively impact the growth of the market during the forecast period.

Major Market Challenge - Reduced effectiveness of passive SONAR detection due to countermeasures

Compared to active SONAR, passive SONAR has the advantage of being applicable to a wider range of circumstances and applications. When tracking silent or covert targets like submarines that attempt to elude detection by active SONAR, passive SONAR is the most effective option. The natural noises of the water, such as those produced by weather patterns, marine life, and seismic activity, can also be observed and studied with passive SONAR. Fast-moving or noisy targets, such as ships, torpedoes, or mines that could overwhelm or elude the passive SONAR system, are harder to find and detect using this method.

Additionally, countermeasures like jamming, deception, or evasion that can lessen or change the target's sound signature are more likely to succeed against passive SONAR. Thus, the collection of target-radiated noise for passive can be affected by strong broadband jammers. Also, the detection range and accuracy will be reduced owing to the result of the appearance of a jammer suppression area. Thus, the impact of countermeasures on passive SONAR detection may negatively impact the growth of the market in focus during the forecast period.

Market Segmentation by Type, Application and Geography

The market encompasses various sectors such as hydrography, fishing, and oil exploration activities. It plays a critical role in nautical charting, marine observation, and supporting warships and nuclear submarines with military strategies. SONAR systems are pivotal in enhancing Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) capabilities through passive and active sonar systems. They are extensively used in oil exploration, maritime observation, and commercial oil and gas exploration, along with applications in port security, mine detection, and search and rescue operations. Furthermore, SONAR technology facilitates navigation, diver detection, seabed terrain investigation, and environmental monitoring across scientific and commercial domains, including the commercial fishing industry and underwater resource exploration.

Type Segment Analysis: 

The market share growth by the passive SONAR segment will be significant during the forecast period. Passive SONAR is primarily used for detecting noise from submarines, mines, ships, and other naval vessels. Through spectrum analysis, the technique processes the sound signal generated by the target. Also, the sound signal that is generated by the enemy target is used to estimate the bearing and characteristics of targets.

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The passive SONAR segment was the largest and was valued at USD 1.82 billion in 2018. The use of passive SONAR is expected to drive the SONAR system market growth. Unlike active SONAR, passive provides a significant advantage for military vessels. It does not emit its own signal, thus preventing hostile groups from detecting vessels or submarines that release passive SONAR. Also, multiple passive systems allow for the triangulation of a sound source. This is advantageous for military applications in surface water as the targets can be detected accurately. It can significantly detect and track submarines even at a considerable range of low frequencies. Thus, such advancements are expected to drive the growth of the segment and market during the forecast period.

Application Segment Analysis: 

Based on the application, the market has been segmented into defense, civil and commercial. The defense segment will account for the largest share of this segment.?For over a decade, major economies such as the US, China, Japan, Russia, and India have made substantial investments in the procurement of next-generation submarines and other submerged platforms, which can strengthen their naval security and information-gathering capability. Also, the increasing territorial disputes between countries have led to an increased focus on maritime warfare.  Furthermore, many of the existing submarines and other naval vessels of the US Navy and other countries' Navy are undergoing upgrades. In July 2023, The French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA) awarded Thales a contract to build a new SONAR suite for France's third-generation nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SNLE 3G) and to refurbish its second-generation submarines (SNLE 2G). Thus, increasing demand from the defense industry is expected to drive the growth of the segment and the market during the forecast period.

Regional Analysis

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APAC is estimated to contribute 33% to the growth by 2028.  Technavio's analysts have provided extensive insight into the SONAR system market growth forecasting, detailing the regional trends and drivers influencing the market's trajectory throughout the forecast period. APAC is anticipated to register the highest growth in terms of demand and other associated equipment during the forecast period. This demand is primarily driven by the enhancement of undersea capabilities in countries like China, India, Japan, South Korea, and Australia. The vulnerable nature of security conditions in APAC has drawn substantial investments in underwater warfare technologies. Several undersea and surface vessel programs have been developed in the last decade in countries like India and China.

In addition, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) of India opened a new facility in November 2023 for the testing and assessment of the Indian Navy's SONAR systems. The new facility is operational at DRDO's Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL) in Kochi, Kerala, India. This newly launched facility is named as Hull Module of Submersible Platform for Acoustic Characterisation and Evaluation (SPACE). Such facilities by defense organizations are expected to drive the regional market during the forecast period.

Who are the Major Market Companies?

Companies are implementing various strategies, such as strategic alliances, partnerships, mergers and acquisitions, geographical expansion, and product/service launches, to enhance their presence in the market.

ASELSAN AS - The company offers sound navigation and ranging system such as ASELSAN Intercept Sonar System, which has capability to detect, track and analyze active acoustic source in frequency range from 1 kHz to 100 kHz.

We also have detailed analyses of the market’s competitive landscape and offer information on 20 market companies, including ASELSAN AS, Cobham Ltd., EdgeTech, Furuno Electric Co. Ltd., Garmin Ltd., General Dynamics Corp., GeoSpectrum Technologies Inc., Hanwha Corp., Kongsberg Gruppen ASA, L3Harris Technologies Inc., Lockheed Martin Corp., Massa Products Corp., Mistral Solutions Pvt. Ltd., RTX Corp., Simrad Yachting, Teledyne Technologies Inc., Thales Group, thyssenkrupp AG, and Western Marine Electronics Inc. 

Technavio market forecast the an in-depth analysis of the market and its players through combined qualitative and quantitative data. The analysis classifies companies into categories based on their business approaches, including pure-play, category-focused, industry-focused, and diversified. Companies are specially categorized into dominant, leading, strong, tentative, and weak, based on their quantitative data analysis.  

Segment Overview

The market analysis and report forecasts market growth by revenue at global, regional & country levels and provides an analysis of the latest trends and growth opportunities from 2018 to 2028. 

• Type Outlook 
  • Passive SONAR
  • Active SONAR

• Application Outlook 
  • Defense
  • Civil
  • Commercial

• Region Outlook 
  • North America
    • The U.S.
    • Canada
  • South America
    • Chile
    • Brazil
    • Argentina 
  • Europe
    • U.K.
    • Germany
    • France
    • Rest of Europe
  • APAC
    • China
    • India
  • Middle East & Africa
    • Saudi Arabia
    • South Africa
    • Rest of the Middle East & Africa

Market Analyst Overview 

The market is a crucial component of various sectors, including preventive defense processes, commercial oil & gas exploration activities, and military operations. It plays a vital role in defense & maritime security, providing underwater surveillance capabilities to safeguard coastlines against potential threats such as underwater mines in both shallow and deep waters. Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs) and remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROUVs) equipped with advanced Hull-mounted, Stern-mounted, and Dipping sonar systems facilitate high-resolution images and acoustic frequency data collection for oceanography and oil and gas industry applications.

Moreover, the market also addresses the inherent complexity of SONAR technology through specialized training and research and development efforts, advancing capabilities such as forward-looking sonars and 3D sonar imaging and mapping. With machine learning, sensor fusion, and smart inverters, SONAR systems enhance naval warfare strategies and vessel traffic management in water bodies, addressing evolving geopolitical situations and potential terrorist attacks to ensure secure seaborne trade activities.

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What are the Key Data Covered in this Market Research Report?

• CAGR of the market during the forecast period
• Detailed information on factors that will drive the growth of the market between 2024 and 2028
• Precise estimation of the market growth and trends and its contribution to the market in focus on the parent market
• Accurate predictions about upcoming market trends and analysis and changes in consumer behavior
• Market growth and forecasting across APAC, North America, Europe, South America, and Middle East and Africa
• A thorough market analysis and report of the market’s competitive landscape and detailed information about companies
• Comprehensive analysis of factors that will challenge the growth of market  companies

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