Support Equipment

Medium- and shallow-water multibeam sounding system

Also known as
  • 中浅水多波束测深系统
  • medium water multibeam sounding system
  • medium- and shallow-water multibeam echosounder
  • medium- and shallow-water multibeam echo sounder
  • EM 710
  • EM710
  • EM710S
  • EM710RD
  • Kongsberg EM710
  • Kongsberg EM 710

Medium- and shallow-water multibeam sounding system is a shipboard hydrographic survey sonar class used for bathymetric mapping in coastal and mid-depth waters. Xiamen University lists a Kongsberg EM 710 1° x 1° fit under the Chinese medium- and shallow-water designation, while Kongsberg describes the EM 710 as a configurable 70-100 kHz multibeam echo sounder for high-resolution seabed mapping. Haixun 08 is documented carrying medium- and shallow-water multibeam systems in a GONDOLA structure alongside a deep-water multibeam system.

Medium- and shallow-water multibeam sounding system, Hydrographic survey system, Support Equipment
Image source: China Society: Haixun 08 survey equipment
Profile / Specs

Specifications

Documented example
Kongsberg EM710
Operating band
70-100 kHz
Approximate depth range
From less than 3 m below the transducers to about 2,000 m for EM 710; about 1,000 m for EM 710S and 600 m for EM 710RD
Swath coverage
Up to 140°
Swath width
Up to 5.5 times water depth, to a maximum of more than 2,000 m
Beam pattern
1° x 1°
Beamwidth options
0.5° x 1°, 1° x 1°, 1° x 2°, or 2° x 2° depending on transducer configuration
Receive beams
256 with a 1° receiver or 128 with a 2° receiver
Model branches
EM 710 full-performance, EM 710S shallow CW-pulse version, and EM 710RD reduced-depth short-CW version
Maximum ping rate
30 Hz
Beam stabilization
Transmit beams stabilized for roll, pitch, and yaw; receive beams roll-stabilized
Sounding density
Up to 800 soundings per ping in dual-swath high-density mode
Shipboard fit
Carried aboard Haixun 08 in a GONDOLA structure with deep-water multibeam survey gear
Carrier Vessel

Haixun 08 is documented carrying medium- and shallow-water multibeam sounding systems in a GONDOLA structure for full-ocean-area surveying.

CarrierCarrier typeCarriage evidence
Haixun 08, Hydrographic survey and patrol ship, Naval SystemsHaixun 08Hydrographic survey vessel

The China Society article says Haixun 08 uses a GONDOLA structure to carry medium- and shallow-water multibeam sounding systems for full-ocean-area surveying.

Sources: China Society: Haixun 08 survey equipment

Relationship-only context

The public record supports the system as survey equipment carried by Haixun 08; it does not provide direct conflict-use evidence for the sonar itself.

Sources: China Society: Haixun 08 survey equipment

Survey-System Role

The record is strongest as a survey-system component rather than a conflict-use weapon page. The sourced examples show how a medium-depth multibeam echo sounder fills the gap between near-coastal mapping, mid-depth seabed coverage, and deeper companion systems on a survey vessel.

Configurable sonar head

Kongsberg describes EM 710 installations with selectable beamwidths, three system branches, and 70-100 kHz operation so customers can trade resolution, range, and transducer size.

Survey package

A complete installation depends on motion, heading, sound-velocity, and positioning inputs as well as the sonar's transmit and receive arrays, transceiver, and operator station.

Haixun 08 fit

Chinese reporting places medium- and shallow-water multibeam systems in Haixun 08's GONDOLA structure with the deep-water multibeam sounding system for full-ocean-area mapping.

Sources: Kongsberg EM 710 product description; Kongsberg EM series application note; China Society: Haixun 08 survey equipment.

Timeline

Medium- and shallow-water multibeam sounding system Key Events

  1. Haixun 08 shipboard fit documented

    The China Society article described Haixun 08 carrying medium- and shallow-water multibeam sounding systems in a GONDOLA structure alongside a 10,000 m-capable deep-water multibeam system.

    Sources: China Society: Haixun 08 survey equipment

Media

Medium- and shallow-water multibeam sounding system Images

Medium- and shallow-water multibeam sounding system, Hydrographic survey system, Support Equipment - view 1
Source: China Society: Haixun 08 survey equipment
Medium- and shallow-water multibeam sounding system, Hydrographic survey system, Support Equipment - view 2
Source: Wikimedia Commons: SV Fugro Gauss
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Sources

XMU R/V Tan Kah Kee science equipmentPublisher: Xiamen University | Note: Supports the Chinese 中浅水多波束测深系统 designation and identifies the listed medium- and shallow-water multibeam equipment as an EM 710 with a 1° x 1° configuration. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Kongsberg EM 710 data sheetPublisher: Kongsberg Maritime | Note: Supports EM 710 designation, seabed-mapping role, frequency range, depth range, swath width, model versions, beamwidth options, stabilization, ping rate, and maximum soundings per ping. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Kongsberg EM 710 limited-maintenance bulletinPublisher: Kongsberg Maritime | Note: Supports manufacturer background for the EM710 family and the commercial survey-system context for the medium- and shallow-water multibeam sounding system class. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Kongsberg EM 710 product descriptionPublisher: Kongsberg Maritime | Note: Supports EM 710 model branches, 70-100 kHz operation, beamwidth options, depth and swath figures, dual-swath sounding density, system components, and the complete-survey-system integration context. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Kongsberg EM series application notePublisher: Kongsberg Maritime | Note: Supports the EM 710 as a high- to very-high-resolution mid/deep-water seabed-mapping system with configurable beamwidths and a shallow-to-approximately-2,000 m survey-depth envelope. | Accessed: 2026-07-02NERC Vocabulary Server: Kongsberg EM 710Publisher: British Oceanographic Data Centre | Note: Supports the controlled device name, Kongsberg Maritime relationship, frequency range, depth range, and swath-width summary for the EM 710. | Accessed: 2026-07-02China Society: Haixun 08 survey equipmentPublisher: China Society | Note: Supports Haixun 08 carrying medium- and shallow-water multibeam sounding systems in a GONDOLA structure and provides provenance for the article photos used on this page; explicit open-license reuse terms were not found. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Wikimedia Commons: SV Fugro GaussPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: CC BY 2.0 image source for an offshore survey vessel described by the file page as fitted with Kongsberg EM 710 and EM 122 multibeam echosounders. | Accessed: 2026-07-02FJ Daily: Haixun 08 survey ship reportPublisher: FJ Daily | Note: Supports Haixun 08 listing medium- and shallow-water multibeam equipment among its professional survey instruments. | Accessed: 2026-07-02