As a pre-eminent supplier of acoustic countermeasures, Ultra provides a range of towed and expendable off-board systems to ensure the survivability of ships and submarines in the face of a range of advanced torpedo threats. Ultra’s family of acoustic expendables, including a complete array of NATO standard devices, is complemented by towed systems, such as Nixie and the flexible towed torpedo countermeasure. The flexible towed torpedo countermeasure permits an active countermeasure jammer to be towed in-line with the active-passive towed receive array. This eliminates the need for a separate winch and handling system, normally associated with stand-alone towed countermeasures.

The Expendable Acoustic Device (EAD) is a programmable countermeasure utilising technology developed under previous Ultra countermeasure programmes. It incorporates low-cost features developed by Ultra under its sonobuoy programmes, supporting a very low cost of system ownership.

EAD launch may be initiated via the local control on each launcher or via a remote Launcher Control Unit (LCU(R)) sited in the Operations Room or the Bridge. The FTB and EAD are programmable and support a number of modes of operation.

The EAD is re-programmable, at dockside, prior to loading into the launcher or in-situ prior to entering a threat arena with an optional programmer.