Naval Systems

Antarès class

Also known as
  • Antares class
  • Bâtiment remorqueur de sonars
  • Bâtiments remorqueurs de sonar
  • BRS
  • BRS Antarès
  • M770 Antarès
  • M771 Altaïr
  • M772 Aldébaran

The Antarès class is a three-ship French Navy sonar-towing vessel class built by SOCARENAM for mine-warfare support around Brest. Official French Navy material describes the BRS vessels as trawler-like platforms that tow mine-hunting sonars for seabed surveillance to 80 meters, while DGA reporting places their mission area in the wider transition to SLAM-F autonomous mine-countermeasure systems.

Antarès class, Sonar towing vessel class, Naval Systems
Image source: Wikimedia Commons: Le bâtiment remorqueur de sonars Antarès (5).JPG

Role in Conflicts

2015 Various Conflicts
Role in conflict
Mine-warfare support and seabed-surveillance vessel

Public material describes the class in French Navy service for sonar towing, seabed surveillance, navigation training, and national maritime-security missions; direct use in a named armed conflict is not documented.

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
France
Built by
Socarenam
Type
Sonar towing vessel class
Service note
1993-present
Produced
1993-1994
Number built
3

Specifications

Displacement
340 tonnes full load
Length
28 m
Beam
7.7 m to 8 m
Speed
10 knots
Crew
22 sailors
Base
Brest
Sonar fit
DUBM41B towed sonar, about 4 m long
Mission depth
Seabed surveillance down to 80 m
Mission equipment
Towing winch and electro-traction winch for launching towed sonars
Class Ships and Mission

Marine Nationale material identifies the BRS as Brest-based sonar-towing vessels with trawler-like hulls, 22-person crews, and a mission towing mine-hunting sonars for seabed surveillance to 80 m.

ShipPennantDocumented context
AntarèsM770Lead ship admitted to active service in 1993; a 2023 French Navy note records recent national operations, maritime-safeguard posture missions, and a three-BRS mission.
AltaïrM771Listed by the French Navy as one of the three Brest-based BRS sonar-towing vessels.
AldébaranM772Listed by the French Navy as one of the three Brest-based BRS sonar-towing vessels.

The French Navy's mine-warfare force is moving toward SLAM-F modules; the Thales MCM USV is the uncrewed surface-vessel element of that renewal.

Timeline

Antarès class Key Events

  1. Antarès enters active service

    A French Navy command-change note identifies Antarès as a sonar-towing vessel admitted to active service in 1993.

    Sources: Marine nationale: Prises de commandement semaine 28

  2. Antarès command handover

    The French Navy reported a command handover aboard Antarès after a period that included national operations, maritime-safeguard posture missions, a three-BRS mission, and a 2022 readiness-conditioning period.

    Sources: Marine nationale: Prises de commandement semaine 28

  3. First SLAM-F surface drone delivered

    DGA delivered the first SLAM-F mine-warfare surface drone to the French Navy, beginning renewal of the mine-countermeasure capability that covers functions formerly assigned to larger vessels.

    Sources: DGA: Premier drone de surface SLAM-F livré à la Marine nationale

  4. SLAM-F drone cleared for uncrewed teleoperation

    The first SLAM-F surface drone completed its navigation-conditioning milestone, authorizing uncrewed teleoperated sailing and exploratory capability growth.

    Sources: DGA: Premier drone de surface SLAM-F livré à la Marine nationale

Media

Antarès class Videos

Antarès class Images

Antarès class, Sonar towing vessel class, Naval Systems - view 1
Source: Wikimedia Commons: BRS antares.jpg
Related Weapon Systems
Thales MCM USV, Mine countermeasures uncrewed surface vessel, Naval SystemsNaval SystemsThales MCM USVMine countermeasures uncrewed surface vesselThales MCM USV is the 12 m uncrewed surface-vessel element of the Franco-British MMCM/SLAM-F mine-countermeasure system. The craft works from shore, a portable command center, or a mothership with payloads such as TSAM towed sonar, a remotely operated vehicle, and supporting command-and-control software, keeping operators outside the minefield while the system searches, classifies, and supports neutralisation of underwater threats. Public sources document prototype deliveries from 2021 and French and Royal Navy production deliveries from 2024 onward; this entry does not claim verified combat employment.
D'Estienne d'Orves-class aviso, Aviso / light corvette, Naval SystemsNaval SystemsD'Estienne d'Orves-class avisoAviso / light corvetteThe D'Estienne d'Orves-class aviso, also known as the Type A69, is a French-built light corvette and offshore-patrol family developed for coastal anti-submarine warfare, escort, and overseas-presence missions. Arsenal de Lorient built the French class around an 80-meter diesel hull with Exocet missiles, a 100 mm CADAM gun, torpedoes, and a 375 mm anti-submarine rocket launcher; later French service shifted surviving ships into high-seas patrol duties after heavy anti-submarine and anti-ship weapons were removed.
HMS Stirling Castle, Mine countermeasures mothership, Naval SystemsNaval SystemsHMS Stirling CastleMine countermeasures mothershipHMS Stirling Castle is the Royal Navy's specialist mine countermeasures mothership, converted from the former offshore support vessel Island Crown to host autonomous mine-hunting systems rather than conduct mine clearance with a traditional crewed minehunter. Built by Vard Brevik in Norway and based at Portsmouth, the ship stores, prepares, deploys, recovers, and transports uncrewed surface vessels, underwater vehicles, remote command equipment, and mission containers for the Royal Navy's Mine Hunting Capability programme.
Hunt class mine countermeasure vessel, Mine countermeasures vessel class, Naval SystemsNaval SystemsHunt class mine countermeasure vesselMine countermeasures vessel classThe Hunt class is a British mine countermeasures vessel class built primarily by Vosper Thornycroft, with some hulls built by Yarrow Shipbuilders, for low-signature mine-hunting and clearance work. Royal Navy and Ministry of Defence sources document HMS Brocklesby clearing a mined channel into Umm Qasr during the 2003 Iraq War and destroying a mine near Misurata during the 2011 Libya campaign with sonar and the SeaFox mine disposal system.
P-3C Orion patrol aircraft, Maritime patrol aircraft, Aircraft & UAVsAircraft & UAVsP-3C Orion patrol aircraftMaritime patrol aircraftThe P-3C Orion is the armed maritime-patrol member of the U.S. Navy's land-based P-3 family, built by Lockheed for anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, mine warfare, surveillance, and overland ISR. Official Navy and wing-history sources tie P-3C service to Desert Storm, Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, and 2014 Operation Inherent Resolve, including Maverick and SLAM-capable configurations as the fleet later transitioned to the P-8A Poseidon.
Hunt class, Mine countermeasures vessel class, Naval SystemsNaval SystemsHunt classMine countermeasures vessel classThe Hunt class is a British mine countermeasures vessel class built by Vosper Thornycroft and Yarrow Shipbuilders for low-signature minehunting, route clearance, and coastal patrol work. Royal Navy and Ministry of Defence sources document HMS Brocklesby clearing mined approaches in the Gulf, Iraq, and Libya, while the remaining Royal Navy ships use sonar, clearance divers, glass-reinforced plastic hulls, and SeaFox mine-disposal vehicles to find and neutralize mines.

Sources

Antarès class sonar towing vessels | SOCARENAMPublisher: SOCARENAM | Note: Supports the builder, special-vessel category, sonar-towing mission profile, 28-meter length, 7.7-meter beam, 340-ton full-load displacement, 10-knot speed, seabed-surveillance role to 80 meters, winch fit, and DUBM41B sonar context. | Accessed: 2026-06-29Marine nationale: Autres unités de guerre des minesPublisher: Ministère des Armées | Note: Supports the BRS role, Brest basing, trawler-like hull description, 22-sailor crew, two towed mine-hunting sonars, 80-meter seabed-surveillance mission, navigation-training role, ship names and pennant numbers, and SLAM-F mine-warfare-force transition context. | Accessed: 2026-06-29Marine nationale: Prises de commandement semaine 28Publisher: Ministère des Armées | Note: Supports the 2023 Antarès command handover, 1993 active-service admission, French Navy service context, recent national operations and maritime-safeguard posture missions, Brest basing, 22-sailor crew, and three-ship class membership. For 2015 Various Conflicts, it documents the vessel fielded by the French Navy in national operations and maritime-safeguard posture missions without identifying a named armed conflict. | Accessed: 2026-06-29DGA: Premier drone de surface SLAM-F livré à la Marine nationalePublisher: Ministère des Armées | Note: Supports the December 2024 delivery of the first SLAM-F mine-warfare surface drone, the projected Brest-based operations center, the renewal of French mine-countermeasure capability, and the January 2025 uncrewed teleoperation milestone. | Accessed: 2026-06-29List of active French Navy ships | WikipediaPublisher: Wikipedia | Note: Background cross-check for the class designation, sonar-towing vessel type, 340-ton displacement, and public transition note that the class is being replaced by SLAM-F autonomous vessels. | Accessed: 2026-06-29Wikimedia Commons: Le bâtiment remorqueur de sonars Antarès (5).JPGPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance and licensing context for the primary class image. | Accessed: 2026-06-29Wikimedia Commons: BRS antares.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance and licensing context for the secondary gallery image. | Accessed: 2026-06-29