ThayerMahan Detects, Tracks, and Classifies All UUVs at Lanternfish 26

GROTON, Conn., Aug. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- ThayerMahan, Inc., a leader in unmanned maritime security and acoustic intelligence, today announced the successful deployment and operation of its distributed acoustic intelligence systems and software to provide undersea domain awareness during Exercise Lanternfish 26. ThayerMahan's fixed and mobile sensing systems detected, classified, localized, and tracked all classes of Uncrewed Underwater Vehicles (UUVs) employed during the exercise, ranging from a six-inch diameter system to XLUUV-class UUVs.

Exercise Lanternfish brought together operational forces, leading technologies, and international partners to evaluate advanced capabilities in a realistic maritime environment. For the event, ThayerMahan deployed fixed ShorePicket™ and mobile Outpost^® sensing systems, demonstrating a layered surveillance architecture capable of persistent monitoring across complex undersea operating areas. The company's TransparenSea^® software processed and visually displayed acoustic intelligence in easy-to-analyze, operator preferred formats while exporting tracks and detections directly to Navy Common Operating Pictures (COPs) in real-time, representing a core advantage of ThayerMahan's sensing architecture.

"The value of undersea awareness is determined by how quickly operators can identify, understand, and respond to emerging activity," said John Russ, retired Submarine Squadron Commander and Chief Operating Officer, ThayerMahan. "Lanternfish was the latest in a long line of demonstrations which have proved that our distributed sensing networks can provide reliable detection, classification, localization, and tracking against UUVs in operationally relevant environments. That awareness delivers decision advantage and creates the time required for commanders and security operators to employ the most appropriate response."

Both systems were deployed and operational in less than 24 hours, required no specialized installation equipment, did not disrupt normal port activity, and provided persistent awareness across the harbor and littoral exercise area. The systems demonstrated sensing performance far beyond the exercise location, and maintained performance in the presence of heavy traffic, including one vessel that idled directly over the array for an extended period.

"Lanternfish provided an opportunity to evaluate our systems under the same operational conditions our customers face every day," said Chris Glander, President Operations at ThayerMahan. "We rapidly established acoustic sensing coverage, detected and continuously tracked every class of exercise UUV, and maintained persistent situational awareness in a complex and active harbor environment. The exercise demonstrated not only the performance and reliability of the technology, but also the operational effectiveness of a rapidly deployable system capable of simultaneously monitoring multiple UUV classes with minimal infrastructure, reduced manpower requirements and virtually no impact to harbor operations."
Exercise Lanternfish highlighted the growing operational requirement to detect, classify, and respond to small and increasingly sophisticated UUV threats, especially in the areas near ports, critical infrastructure, and maritime chokepoints.

"For a long time, 'drone threat' has been synonymous with airborne drones," said Andy Meecham, Chief Technology Officer at ThayerMahan. "Meanwhile, UUVs have become increasingly accessible and capable. Anyone with internet access, a few thousand dollars, and ill intentions can assemble a credible UUV threat; and nation's systems continue to grow more exquisite. Lanternfish gave us the opportunity to prove how well, how far, and how reliably our systems detect and track these threats in the complex environments where they are most likely to be used. Other exercises and real-world operations continue to prove out our non-kinetic Counter-UUV defeat capability. Our combination of operationally active UUV sensing and UUV defeat systems puts ThayerMahan in a group of one."

Systems capable of detecting UUVs are expected to play an increasingly important role in identifying emerging threats, informing operational decisions, and enabling effective responses before risks escalate. ThayerMahan's mobile, moored, and fixed systems are designed to meet this rising threat with persistent detection, classification, and tracking across a dynamic range of missions and operating environments.

About ThayerMahan^®

ThayerMahan, Inc. is a maritime technology company specializing in unmanned acoustic intelligence, persistent undersea surveillance, and non-kinetic counter-UUV capabilities. The company provides its government and commercial customers with end-to-end autonomous system deployment, field operations, continuous data collection, and advanced analytics. Using state-of-the-art acoustic and electronic sensors integrated across a range of surface and subsurface platforms, ThayerMahan delivers tailored capabilities that support mission-critical defense, security, and infrastructure protection requirements. Headquartered in Groton, CT, ThayerMahan also maintains offices in Lowell, MA, and Arlington, VA. For more information, please visit www.thayermahan.com or contact the company at [email protected].

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Dr. Kevin Lopes
VP, Marketing & Sales
ThayerMahan, Inc.
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SOURCE ThayerMahan, Inc.