Improved Airborne ASW Localization to Attack Using Continuous Active Sonar Navy SBIR FY2004.1 Sol No.: Navy SBIR FY2004.1 Topic No.: N04-007 Topic Title: Improved Airborne ASW Localization to Attack Using Continuous Active Sonar Proposal No.: N041-007-1 Firm: Ocean Acoustical Services and Instrumentation Syst 5 Militia Drive Lexington, Massachusetts 02421 Contact: Philip Abbot Phone: (781) 862-8339 Web Site: None Abstract: The Navy's current airborne ASW active sonar systems rely on pulse type sonars to develop accurate localization to attack solutions. To improve this capability, pulse sonars require: 1) higher source level sonobuoys resulting in larger and heavier sources, 2) higher energy sources that may require battery chemistries that have safety issues and/or high costs, and 3) extensive and costly marine mammal mitigation procedures. The OASIS/BBN team proposes to design and analytically demonstrate a continuous active sonar (CAS) approach that will improve target localization performance using smaller and lighter sources that require significantly less source level thus minimizing the adverse impact of active sonar on marine mammals. We will leverage our state-of-the-art understanding of CAS operation (patent application pending) that overcomes the ambiguity in target range and speed inherent in other CAS systems. Our systematic approach to system design will produce an effective and robust sonobuoy-based target localization to attack solution ready for assembly and demonstration in Phase II. Benefits: The anticipated benefits are an improved Air ASW active sonar system with reliable and accurate localization to attack solutions using a low peak power continuous active sonobuoy system. The lower peak power system requires smaller electronic packages, thereby allowing increased volume to be used for extending system life or improved performance capability. In addition, the reduced peak power will minimize the adverse effects on marine mammals. Return