A TEHTERED FLOATING FIBER OPTIC PERISCOPE FOR SUBMARINES

THE PHASE I PROJECT WILL DEVELOP THE TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION FOR A FIBER OPTIC REMOTE SURFACE SENSOR PLATFORM SYSTEM (FORSSEPS) THAT CAN BE DEPLOYED FROM A SUBMERGED SUBMARINE AND WHICH CAN BE REMOTELY DIRECTED TO THE SURFACE OF THE OCEAN TO GATHER VISUAL AND RF INFORMATION WHILE MINIMIZING RISK EXPOSURE IN A VARIETY OF TACTICAL AND OPERATIONAL SITUATIONS. THE PREEMINENT DESIGN CRITERIA FOR THE FORSSEPS VEHICLE AND SENSOR PLATFORM WILL BE THAT IT PROVIDE SUFFICIENT STABILITY THAT EFFECTIVE 360 DEGREE IMAGING CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED WITH LOW RISK OF DETECTION. IN ADDITION, THE FORSSEPS VEHICLE MAY BE EQUIPPED WITH VARIOUS RF AND OPTICAL APERTURE SENSORS, THEREBY ENABLING COMMUNICATIONS LINKS WITH SATELLITES, ELINT, ETC. THROUGH USE OF A FIBER OPTIC LINK AND BY PROVIDING THE VEHICLE WITH ON-BOARD PROPULSION, STANDOFF RANGES OF SEVERAL KILOMETERS CAN EASILY BE ACHIEVED FROM THE PARENT SUBMARINE. ALTERNATELY, BE EQUIPPING THE FORSSEPS VEHICLE AS A HYDRODYNAMIC LIFTING BODY THAT CAN BE TOWED TO THE SURFACE, SURVEILLANCE MISSIONS CAN BE CONDUCTED WHILE THE PARENT SUBMARINE IS UNDERWAY. THE SPECIFICATION DEVELOPED WILL ADDRESS THE PROPOSED FORSSEPS VEHICLE DESIGN, THE STABILIZED SENSOR PLATFORM, THE IMAGING SYSTEM, THE FIBER OPTIC DATA LINK, NAVIGATION SENSORS, THE LAUNCH AND RECOVERY SYSTEM AND THE OPERATORS CONTROL STATION.