Innovative Structures for Sonobuoy Applications

Problem: Present sonobuoys such as the AN/SSQ-101 ADAR were designed for “standard” blue water ocean conditions using a highly idealized 90% current profile, with designs checked in simulation. As such, the sonobuoys do not perform optimally in all oceanographic conditions; for example, complex current shears cause the ADAR array to develop unacceptable tilt angles and kite up to shallower depths outside the specification. Opportunity: In complex littoral environments it would be a significant improvement for the ADAR sonobuoy suspension to adapt itself to the present environmental conditions and situation-dependent mission objectives, thereby ensuring its full uncompromised potential is realized in more scenarios. SeaLandAire proposes an innovative, adaptable suspension system which would provide significant hydrodynamic performance advantages over the present ADAR design and offer potential widespread application in other free-drifting acoustic sensors. The addition of the Adaptable Element for Suspension OPtimization (AESOP) to the present ADAR would minimize the array tilt and kiting problems in situ as well as allow buoy field integrity management. The challenge, though, is to adjust the AESOP properly for non-standard flow conditions with minimal impact to the packaging, deployment, and acoustic performance of the existing A-size ADAR system.