ASW Sensors & Proc

Abstract

The Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Sensors and Processing project provides the tools and methods necessary to maintain naval superiority by preventing threat submarines from disrupting the U.S. Navy's ability to control the sea lines of communication and completing their hostile missions. This project encompasses the Engineering & Manufacturing Development phase and the follow on Production and Deployment Phase of sensor systems to improve the mission effectiveness of airborne ASW platforms in cueing, searching, localizing, tracking, and attacking subsurface targets. Smaller and quieter threat submarines drive the requirement for continued advancement in ASW sensor capabilities for both blue water and littoral environments. The littoral regions of the world create an additional ASW challenge to overcome the increase in background clutter caused by the shallow water depth, high volume of shipping, and commercial radio frequency interference. Project 0480 provides funding to the passive and active ASW family of systems for the engineering development of solutions that detect, classify, and track threat submarines. The Multi-Static Active Coherent (MAC) program encompasses modifications to the active coherent (electronic) source sonobuoy and the Air Deployable Active Receiver sonobuoy and development, integration, and test of aircraft software. It also provides upgrades to the Multi-static mission planning tool, the tactical crew trainers and the tactical ground replay system. This program includes MAC Enhancements (MAC-E) that will shorten the ASW kill chain by enabling the warfighter to search larger areas in less time with more precision. Project 0480 also provides funding for the Advanced Product Build (APB) program which integrates Office of Naval Research (ONR) Future Naval Capabilities (FNCs), Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR), University Affiliated Research Center (UARC) and other mature technologies into the processing baseline. Efforts incorporate clutter reduction, automation, improved displays and controls, as well as improved communication links resulting in reduced operator workload, increased target detection opportunities, and improved classification techniques. APB also includes an Air ASW Engineering Measurement Program (AEMP) that collects ASW operational system performance data and identifies areas where beneficial improvements can be incorporated across all Air ASW platforms. APB will deliver a new software build nominally in two year increments following MAC-E. The sonobuoy test articles in FY17-FY23 will support software and hardware integration flight tests and Technical Evaluation/Follow-On Test & Evaluation for the MAC program. Additionally, this project funds an urgent effort in support of the Navy's Theater Anti-Submarine Warfare offset strategy. Funding supports the rapid development, fielding and evaluation of a prototype distributed and netted undersea sensor system to meet an urgent combatant commanders' (U.S. European Command, U.S. Northern Command, U.S. Strategic Command) requirement for additional maritime Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities.

Document Details

• Document Type: Project
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2019
• Source ID: 0480_0604261N_5_1319_PB_2019

Tags

Fields of Study

• Engineering

Readers

• Maritime and Naval Warfare Studies
• Naval Mine Countermeasure Systems Development.
• Sensor Fusion and Tracking Systems.

Technology Areas

• Microelectronics
• Microelectronics - Microelectromechanical Systems