Multi-Static Processing Using Sonobuoys as Opportunistic Receivers Navy SBIR FY2013.1 Sol No.: Navy SBIR FY2013.1 Topic No.: N131-030 Topic Title: Multi-Static Processing Using Sonobuoys as Opportunistic Receivers Proposal No.: N131-030-0574 Firm: Adaptive Methods, Inc 5860 Trinity Parkway Suite 200 Centreville, Virginia 20120 Contact: Rob Blanchard Phone: (703) 968-6127 Web Site: www.adaptivemethods.com Abstract: Existing organic sensors of surface combatants may be enhanced through the use of off-board sonobuoy receiver fields to extend both range and accuracy. Leveraging active transmissions in bistatic and multistatic geometries is a force multiplier that can provide additional courses of action for the war fighter. Coordinated active engagement with surface ship sources and many receivers, combined with existing monostatic active returns, may improve signal-to-noise ratio performance resulting in increased: probability of detection, detection range, submarine holding time, and ultimate success in submarine prosecution. This has become progressively more important with the proliferation of diesel electric and other quiet threat submarines that present greater challenges to today's Navy. A successful solution must incorporate a capability to locate, with reasonable accuracy, all potential sonobuoy receivers to appropriately synchronize the timing basis. Additional acoustic processing functionality required for bi-static processing will be identified, leveraging existing Pulse Active Sonar Functional Segment (PASFS) capability. Modeling and simulation can be employed, leveraging existing air ASW mission planning tools, to provide evaluations of overall system performance across a variety of environmental and tactical scenarios. Benefits: The U.S. 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 U.S. 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. Potential non-DoD agencies, such as the U.S. Coast Guard, could apply these toolkit components for coastal protection to extend the capabilities of the Automated Identification System, a U.S. coastal security system that monitors large vessels heading in and out of ports. Additionally, the Homeland defense department could apply components for port acoustic security systems, including tracking and localizing suspicious surface vessel traffic. Finally, this research could be used in acoustic/non-acoustic perimeter surveillance systems that rely on many sensors or multiple sensor types to satisfy customer needs and the oil industry to enhance the precision of sonar-based tools. Bistatic processing algorithms developed in this SBIR are suitable to many of these applications. Return