SBIR-STTR Award

The proposed program will investigate the feasibility and performance advantage of the parametric array as a shallow water ASW sensor. The system concept involves the use of a parametric dipping sonar on ASW helicopters, combined with conventional DIFAR or DICASS sonobuoys in order to perform bistatic echo ranging. Improved submarine detection in shallow water is expected, as a result of lower reverberation, lower operating frequency, and higher time-bandwidth product. Baseline system parameters will be derived and the baseline system analyzed in terms of detection range, search rate, and comparisons of size, weight, power and cost to platform constraints. A plan for further development and a Phase II experimental demonstration will be defined as part of this effort.

Keywords:
ACTIVE SONAR DIFAR NONLINEAR ACOUSTICS DICASS PARAMETRIC ARRAY ASW DIPPING SONAR SHALLOW WATER

The proposed Phase II development and demonstration will build upon the Phase I study in terms of obtaining experimental confirmation of Phase I analytical and computer modeling results. A hardware prototype system will be designed and fabricated to test he PADS concept. The PADS prototype will consist of a wet-end subsystem, composed of a cylindrical transducer array with power amplification and impedance matching network, transmit signal processor, composed of a signal generator and inverse beamformer, and receive signal processing...

Benefit:
Benefits include improved sonar technology for undersea and mine warfare, swimmer detection/port security, and commercial sonar potential for collision avoidance systems in commercial shipping.

Keywords:
Inverse Beamforming, Parametric Sonar, undersea warfare, near-land warfare, Mine Warfare