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Affordable Scalable Acoustic Panel Arrays
Navy SBIR 2012.1 - Topic N121-055 NAVSEA - Mr. Dean Putnam - [email protected] Opens: December 12, 2011 - Closes: January 11, 2012 N121-055 TITLE: Affordable Scalable Acoustic Panel Arrays TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Sensors ACQUISITION PROGRAM: PMS397 Ohio Replacement Program and PMS450 Virginia Class RESTRICTION ON PERFORMANCE BY FOREIGN CITIZENS (i.e., those holding non-U.S. Passports): This topic is "ITAR Restricted". The information and materials provided pursuant to or resulting from this topic are restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120 - 130, which control the export of defense-related material and services, including the export of sensitive technical data. Foreign Citizens may perform work under an award resulting from this topic only if they hold the "Permanent Resident Card", or are designated as "Protected Individuals" as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3). If a proposal for this topic contains participation by a foreign citizen who is not in one of the above two categories, the proposal will be rejected. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this topic is to develop an open systems scalable acoustic panel array architecture for Navy submarines that will enable common building blocks across all panel array systems. DESCRIPTION: Current panel arrays are stove piped systems with complex installation and calibration processes. Systems such as bow arrays are constructed with thousands of individually mounted sensors requiring precise location of mounting studs to maintain channel to channel phase performance (see references below). This approach is costly to install and maintain and requires a significant number of outboard cables to interconnect the sensors and sensor electronics. Variants of wide aperture arrays are based on unique optical sensor technology that requires dry docking to replace and recalibrate the sensors. Modern technologies in the areas of electronics, composite materials, data multiplexing, and innovative sensors and processing techniques have the potential to reduce cost, improve reliability and performance. However, these technologies do not properly address modularity and commonality issues necessary for increasing design and capability flexibility while reducing installation and maintenance cost. As a result, submarine panel array systems, such as bow arrays and high frequency arrays, do not share common systems and subsystem components. Commonality between planer and spherical arrays are particularly difficult. The Navy seeks technology development to provide common open systems acoustic array panels to reduce the total life cycle cost of all acoustic hull arrays for the Ohio Replacement and VIRGINIA platforms. Achieving this goal requires research and development in the areas of advanced systems architectures, packaging, and the integration of sensors and sensor electronics into low cost high availability panels. The goal for the next generation hull mounted array should be a 50% reduction in life cycle cost over current designs. Furthermore, the solution should be robust enough to be applicable for planer and spherical arrays. Designing for reliability also is a priority throughout this SBIR topic. In addition, the design could use modern telemetry methods which would potentially allow synchronization of multiple shipboard arrays. PHASE I: Develop concepts for submarine acoustic array panels that use open-system and open-architecture principles. Demonstrate the feasibility of the concepts to reduce life cycle costs and to meet Navy acoustic array performance requirements. Demonstrate the feasibility of developing concepts into actual acoustic array panels. Development should include the use of innovative sensors, materials, packaging techniques, and system architectures. Concepts must incorporate low-cost sensors and sensor electronics in array panels that can be deployed for a 20 year operational life. Develop a Phase II development plan with performance goals and key technical milestones. PHASE II: Based on the results of Phase I and the Phase II development plan, develop a prototype acoustic array panel for laboratory evaluation. Laboratory evaluation will assess the ability of the prototype to meet the performance goals established in Phase I, and to reduce array life cycle costs. Based on the prototype evaluation, develop a Phase III development plan to transition the technology into a system that can be acquired by the Navy. PHASE III: If Phase II is successful, the small business will be expected to support the Navy in transitioning the technology to Navy use should a Phase III award be made. Based on the Phase II results, develop a production design package for the acoustic array panel. Demonstrate its compliance to performance requirements, its functionality, and its manufacturability in an engineering development model. Support the Navy in transitioning the system to Navy submarines. PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: Low cost scalable panel arrays have direct application to fixed array harbor surveillance and drug interdiction operations. REFERENCES: 2. A. Dandridge, A.B. Tveten, and A.M. Sansone, "Flow Noise Performance of Air-backed Plastic Mandrel Hydrophones on the KAMLOOPS Buoyant Test Vehicle," JUA(USN) 50, 601-625 (2000). KEYWORDS: Commonality between planer and spherical arrays are particularly difficult.Furthermore, the solution should be robust enough to be applicable for planer and spherical arrays.
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