N142-117 TITLE: Components for a Deep Drifting Sonobuoy

TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Air Platform, Information Systems, Sensors

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: Next generation Airborne Passive System FNC

RESTRICTION ON PERFORMANCE BY FOREIGN NATIONALS: This topic is "ITAR Restricted". The information and materials provided pursuant to or resulting from this topic are restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120-130, which control the export of defense-related material and services, including the export of sensitive technical data. Foreign nationals may perform work under an award resulting from this topic only if they hold the "Permanent Resident Card", or are designated as "Protected Individuals" as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3). If a proposal for this topic contains participation by a foreign national who is not in one of the above two categories, the proposal may be rejected.

OBJECTIVE: Objectively identify and subsequently demonstrate designs for critical components of an affordable, persistent passive acoustic capability for a deep-drifting environmental data measurement device with low latency in data exfiltration, long duration operability, and which is rapidly deployable in a standard A-size sonobuoy form factor.

DESCRIPTION: The acoustic measurement array within the deep drifting sonobuoy will operate at a depth of approximately 3 miles while tethered to a surface float for an operating life time of approximately 1 month, and ideally more. It will autonomously process acoustic measurements made at those deep depths and send messages which summarize the information up a tether and out over an r-f link to a remote receiver. Critical components are: the tether which physically supports the passive acoustic array and processor and over which contact messages are transmitted to the r-f link at the surface; the batteries which power the sensor array, and communication and message transmission components; the signal processor electronics, and the array of acoustic sensors which are not the focus of this topic. All components must fit into an A-size form and result in an affordable unit. Innovative solutions which reduce size, weight, power (i.e. improve energy efficiency), and costs of critical components while meeting minimum operational performance and service life requirements are desired.

PHASE I: Perform analysis, modeling, and/or simulation of candidate sonobuoy designs based upon promising technology alternatives for the component technologies which will comprise the sonobuoy. Specifically, this effort should deliver well characterized, objective estimates for the expected level of performance from design alternatives for those components to provide an objective basis for estimating the corresponding space, weight, and cost penalties so that constraints, such as the A-size form factor, can be enforced at the scale of the individual sonobuoy. This process of objective quantitative analysis should clearly identify critical components within the constraints of a device that must perform for 30 days and be deployed from an A-size volume. The resulting information regarding the expected limitations of the sonobuoy components should be used to propose and justify a candidate sonobuoy design whose purpose will be to serve as a demonstration device that validates the feasibility of an acceptable design for each of the critical technologies.

PHASE II: Fabricate and test a prototype deep-drifting environmental measurement sonobuoy that validates models for expected performance of the critical components identified in Phase I. The specific intent is to validate the feasibility of a successful implementation for the critical components, each at a physical scale that is appropriate to all of the other components of the sonobuoy in an A-size form factor.

PHASE III: If Phase II is successful, the small business will provide support in transitioning the components for the deep drifting sonobouy for Navy use in the Next Generation Airborne Passive System FNC. The small business will develop a plan to determine the effectiveness of critical components of the sonobuoy in an operationally relevant environment. The small business will support the Navy with certifying and qualifying the system for Navy use. When appropriate, the small business will focus on scaling up manufacturing capabilities and commercialization plans.

PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: The technologies developed under this project have potential uses in seismology, marine mammal detection and tracking, in anti-terrorism and drug-interdiction systems.

REFERENCES:
1. R. D. Gaul, D. P. Knobles, J. A. Shooter, and A. F. Wittenborn, Ambient Noise Analysis of Deep-Ocean Measurements in the Northeast Pacific, IEEE J. Ocean. Eng. 32(2), 497 512 (2007).

2. R. A. Holler, A. W. Horbach, and J. F. McEachern, The Ears of Air ASW, A History of U.S. Navy Sonobuoys (Navmar Applied Sciences Corporation, Warminster, PA, 19874).

KEYWORDS: Sonobuoy, acoustic sensor, tether, r-f data exfiltration, high energy density battery, environmental noise, preparation of the undersea battlespace

** TOPIC AUTHOR (TPOC) **

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