Intelligent Mobile Sensor Barrier (IMSB) for Persistent Littoral Surveillance and Tracking

One of the U.S. Southern Command’s (US SOUTHCOM) principal missions is to detect and monitor the movement of illegal drugs and to support interdiction efforts by U.S. and participating nation law enforcement agencies. Recently, the interdiction challenge has increased with the advent of the self-propelled semi-submersible (SPSS) vehicle as a craft of choice for illegal drug trafficking on the open seas. Of an estimated 85 SPSS that operated in this region in 2008, only 15 were seized. US SOUTHCOM, the U.S. Coast Guard, and national law enforcement agencies consider the SPSS a serious threat to regional security. To address this threat, this program will design, implement, and deploy the Intelligent Mobile Sensor Barrier (IMSB) system, a persistent, at-sea surveillance system to autonomously detect, monitor and support interdiction of SPSSs. The IMSB Sensor Array will consist of multiple, heterogeneous, networked, long-endurance autonomous USVs with mounted sensors, coordinated to responsively execute the assigned mission. The proposed work is the first phase of a 3 phase program to deploy 12 IMSB nodes in an operationally relevant environment in 24 months. The program will be primed by Scientific Systems Company. Team-members include Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), Liquid Robotics, and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.