Submarine Launched Acoustic Communication Buoy using Single Crystal Sonar

For this Phase I SBIR program TRS Technologies and Ultra Electronics Ocean Systems (UEOS) will develop 3” diameter single crystal segmented ring transducers for an Acoustic Communications (ACOMMS) buoy with both gateway data transmission and long range tactical paging capability. The buoy will be sized for launch from the submarine signal ejector (SSE). The use of underwater ACOMMS has been limited by the deficiencies of conventional ceramic based sonar transducers in terms of data rate, range, and device size. With conventional ceramic, gateway data transmission transducers require high frequencies and broad bandwidth to achieve high data rates; however, use of high frequencies limits the transmission range. Tactical pagers require long ranges and therefore low frequencies, leading to large device sizes. TRS and UEOS will address this problem by developing a single, very broadband (2 octave) crystal transducer with high source level for long range paging and high data rate gateway functions in one compact device. TRS will optimize crystal segment aspect ratio and orientation to maximize transducer bandwidth. UEOS will test the transducer in water. In Phase II, transducers will be integrated into an SSE compatible buoy design supplying the Navy with a capability it does not currently have.