Next-Generation Air Deployable Active Receiver (ADAR)

The Objective of this SBIR is the design and implementation of an acoustic receive array with a large vertical aperture for use as an environmental measurement sensor. The intent is to also develop a sensor with long life potential so that environmental parameters that change with time can be monitored more closely. Detailed knowledge of the operational environment can be exploited to improve the capabilities of active sonar detection and classification systems. The deployment geometry, transmit bandwidth and averaging time can all be set to optimize detection performance given the detection system has a detailed knowledge of the operational environment. In addition, more detailed knowledge may also provide target classification clues derived from the received echo shape. The environmental data gathered on station could be integrated into a tactical decision aid (TDA) that is run prior to the start of the Anti Submarine Warfare (ASW) search phase of the mission. This SBIR solicitation (N02-178) proposes the development of a new sensor capable of making a long life bottom loss measurement. In this SBIR we shall build a mechanical equivalent of the proposed bottom loss sensor and a laboratory demonstration of the proposed in-buoy signal processing.