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Acoustic Intercept Receiver for Naval Special Warfare Undersea Vehicles
Navy STTR FY2009A - Topic N09-T012 Opens: February 24, 2009 - Closes: March 25, 2009 6:00am EST N09-T012 TITLE: Acoustic Intercept Receiver for Naval Special Warfare Undersea Vehicles TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Ground/Sea Vehicles, Sensors, Electronics, Weapons ACQUISITION PROGRAM: Shallow Water Combat Submersible (SWCS), PEO LMW, PMS NSW, ACAT III OBJECTIVE: Develop and evaluate an prototype acoustic intercept receiver to detect acoustic signals capable of identifying manned or unmanned undersea vehicles. DESCRIPTION: Underwater vehicles are susceptible to detection by active sonar systems used for surveillance of littoral areas. Such systems can operate over a range of frequencies and can ensoniify at various intervals and powers and, consequently, be effective at different ranges. The challenge is to develop a small package to intercept such emissions early enough for the underwater vehicle to avoid capture or destruction. The system needs to fit in the confines of existing and future undersea vehicles, minimize the power requirements, and, ultimately, interface with existing vehicle systems such as command and control, communications. Current intercept systems require significant space and weight of rack-mounted equipment supporting very large processing systems. The proposed system must provide sufficient source bearing accuracy and emission characteristics to allow identification and classification of the emission as a threat emission so that tactical decisions may be made. Identification and classification, while necessary to the tactical decisions, are outside the scope of this topic. (They are necessary to distinguish between threat and friendly force active sonar.) The desired system must detect a wide range of threat frequencies and should be capable of filtering out the acoustic emissions of its own platform in order to prevent false alarms. Because of the range of potential acoustic threats that need to be addressed, development of this system will not be classified. The Navy will only fund proposals that are innovative, address Research & Development, and involve technical risk. The program office supporting this topic focuses on manned Naval Special Warfare vehicles including the Advanced SEAL Delivery System (ASDS), SEAL Delivery Vehicle (SDV). And the planned Joint Multi-Mission submersible (JMMS) and Shallow Water Combat Submersible (SWCS). However, the technology Is applicable to large diameter UUVs. Parameters for manned underwater vehicles include: Total sensor weight: less than 15 lbs, processor and sensor(s) PHASE I: Develop an innovative design to accomplish an acoustic intercept receiver. Identify expected performance enhancements to be achieved along with critical design parameters such as volume, power, cost, and technical risk. PHASE II: Develop, demonstrate, and evaluate a prototype system in a realistic environment over extended and diverse operating conditions. PHASE III: Produce acoustic intercept receivers for use in undersea vehicle. PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: Successful development of a small, advanced acoustic intercept receiver would provide government agencies, such as the Department of Homeland Security and the US Coast Guard, with detection technology that could be utilized as part of a comprehensive port & littoral protection system. REFERENCES: 2. Istepanian, R.S.H. & Stojanovic, M., 2002, Underwater Acoustic Digital Signal Processing and Communication Systems, Springer, ISBN 0792373049, 278p. 3. The Navy Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV) Master Plan: www.navy.mil/navydata/technology/usvmppr.pdf 4. Simard, Y., Roy, N., Gervaise, C., 2008, Passive acoustic detection and localization of whales: Effects of shipping noise in Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park: Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, v. 123, no. 6, p. 4109-4117 KEYWORDS: sensor; situational awareness; stealth; sonar; undersea sensor Questions may also be submitted through DoD SBIR/STTR SITIS website. |