Deep Long Life Passive Sonobuoy Sensor System Navy SBIR FY2015.1 Sol No.: Navy SBIR FY2015.1 Topic No.: N151-013 Topic Title: Deep Long Life Passive Sonobuoy Sensor System Proposal No.: N151-013-0380 Firm: Navmar Applied Sciences Corporation 65 West Street Road Building C Warminster, Pennsylvania 18974 Contact: Roger Holler Phone: (215) 441-0449 Web Site: www.navmar.com Abstract: An air-launched passive long-life A-size sonobuoy with a vertical sensor array designed for the low frequency band from 5 to 500 Hz and located near the bottom in the deep ocean will be developed. The sonobuoy will be deployed for a period of up to two weeks and will take advantage of the Reliable Acoustic Path conditions that occur when the sound velocity at depth exceeds the maximum sound velocity in the vicinity of the upper edge of the deep sound channel, as well as the lower acoustic ambient that is found below this critical depth. The Phase I effort will develop approaches, and perform modeling and simulation activities to evaluate prospective designs associated with the sensor type(s), array, telemetry, packaging, deployment and self-noise remediation within the overall architecture of an A-size sonobuoy. Analytic computer models of alternative designs will be evaluated, and where appropriate, laboratory models will be fabricated to measure the appropriate parameters to assess the performance of various design alternatives. A final design will be recommended for prototype fabrication and demonstration in Phase II. Benefits: The results of this effort will provide a baseline array design that will lead to the fabrication of an over-the-side developmental version to be used at sea to validate and refine the operating characteristics of the array. Successful design characteristics will inform the development of the ONR/NAVAIR Next Generation Airborne Passive System (NGAPS). The ONR NGAPS FNC project will transition to NAVAIR in the FY 20/21 time frame at which time technologies developed under this SBIR may be transitioned into advanced development and ultimately production sonobuoys for deep ocean surveillance. In addition to Naval applications, the product of this effort could also benefit environmental measurements for oceanographic studies and forecasting, commercial studies of seismic activity and commercial approaches to underwater mining and mineral exploration. Return