ELWAVE has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with MacArtney Underwater Technology Group at Undersea Defence Technology (UDT) 2026 to advance the protection of critical underwater infrastructure.
The partnership brings together ELWAVE’s electric field sensing technology, ESENSE, with MacArtney’s subsea infrastructure, connectivity, and system integration expertise. These complementary capabilities are intended to support the deployment of persistent underwater sensing solutions for monitoring and threat detection.
By integrating ESENSE into powered subsea frames with communication capabilities, the collaboration enables continuous, low-power sensing barriers. These systems are designed to detect and classify underwater threats, including Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs) and other low-signature platforms, particularly in environments where traditional acoustic systems may face limitations.
The approach supports continuous, high-fidelity underwater monitoring, as well as scalable and deployable protection systems adapted to real-world operational constraints. It also enables multi-sensing capabilities suited to real-world environments.
At the core of the collaboration is ELWAVE’s ESENSE electrometer, designed for maritime surveillance and the detection and classification of intruders based on their electrical signatures. The system provides wideband coverage and is engineered for operation in deep-sea environments down to 6000 meters.
ESENSE features automated calibration and dry electrodes to support long-duration deployments, along with remote control and data visualization via the OWLIA software interface. The technology is designed to complement other sensing modalities, including acoustic, optical, magnetic, Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS), and sonar systems.
The agreement represents a step forward in addressing an evolving threat landscape, supporting the protection of maritime infrastructure through advanced sensing and subsea integration capabilities.
