SBIR-STTR Award

AN/SQQ-89 surface combatant active processing does not currently leverage echoes from off-board sources, such as other combatants in the strike group or transmissions from other systems. Leveraging active emissions bi-statically can improve Q-89 ASW capabilities in high-interest scenarios. Alternately, ships could retain current performance while reducing the amount of acoustic energy they emit, reducing the potential environmental impact. Combining additional bi-static detection opportunities with existing mono-static active returns should lead to faster time to detect, improved detection, longer detection ranges, longer holding times, and improved tracking performance. The primary focus of this SBIR proposal will be on initially leveraging bi-static Q-89 active transmissions for enhanced active ASW operation. Requirements and a concept of operation for AN/SQQ-89 bi-static processing are proposed for development. Example high payoff bi-static acoustic detection scenarios are discussed, and proposed for further development and performance evaluation. Addition acoustic processing functionality required for bi-static processing is identified, and a performance evaluation is discussed.

Benefit:
The US Navy will benefit from this technology through faster time to detect, improved detection, longer detection ranges, longer holding times, and improved tracking performance. Active sonar is used by many US Navy activities for a number of projects including small object detection and avoidance, ASW, and ASUW using a variety of platforms. In addition, active sonar is used for oil exploration, and by Navy and University labs for a variety of research projects. Lastly, it has recently been applied in homeland security and commercial perimeter surveillance applications. Bi-static processing algorithms developed in this SBIR are suitable to many of these applications.

Keywords:
ASW, ASW, mono-static, Echo, Acoustic, Surface Ship, bi-static, Active sonar

AN/SQQ-89 surface combatant active sonar processing does not currently leverage off-board transmissions from other combatants in the strike group. Leveraging off-board sources using bistatic (or equivalently multistatic) sonar will improve AN/SQQ-89 strike group ASW capabilities in a number of tactically relevant scenarios, some of which are discussed in the Phase I report. A system using both bistatic and monostatic sonar has several advantages over a system using only monostatic sonar. It decreases time to detect, improves detection, increases detection ranges, increases holding times, and improves tracking performance. It also reduces environmental impact because multiple ships detect from one ships transmissions, thus reducing the required number of active transmissions for a particular ASW mission. Strike group robustness is increased because it is possible to respond to a transmitter failure by using another ships transmitter for continued target prosecution. This SBIR primarily leverages known AN/SQQ-89 active transmissions for enhanced ASW operation. Requirements and a concept of operation for AN/SQQ-89 bistatic processing are proposed for development. Example high-payoff bistatic detection scenarios are discussed and proposed for further development and performance evaluation. Additional acoustic processing functionality required for bistatic processing is proposed for coding and performance evaluation.

Benefit:


Benefits:
The US Navy will benefit from bistatic sonar through faster detection times, improved detection, longer detection ranges, longer holding times, improved tracking performance, robustness to transmitter failures, and reduced environmental impact. Commercialization: In addition to surface ship active sonar, bistatic algorithms developed in this SBIR apply to small object detection and avoidance, ASW, and ASUW using various platforms, including passive platforms using signals of opportunity. Additional applications include oil exploration, Navy and university research for a variety of projects, and homeland security and commercial perimeter surveillance applications.

Keywords:
Surface Ship, ASW, Multistatic, Monostatic, Echo, Acoustic, Active sonar, Bistatic