Towed Array Technology Communication Link Bandwidth Expansion

We present an innovative design to achieve full-duplex ATM telemetry over existing single-coax tow cable systems which are used on many Navy ships and submarines for towing arrays. The proposal includes a comprehensive review of wireline standards, semiconductors, and modems from which we identify three enabling technologies to achieve full-duplex ATM links on single-coax tow cables: wireline modulation, forward error correction, and adaptive equalization. The proposal includes a theoretical spectral analysis which shows how these three enabling technologies can be leveraged to achieve full-duplex 25.6 and 155.52 Mbit/s ATM telemetry on Navy tow cables. The proposal then shows a detailed design for a Tow Cable Bandwidth Expansion Array Node and shipboard interface which will provide full-duplex 25.6 Mbit/s ATM telemetry plus array power transmission in 1-2 km single-coax tow cables. A proposed workplan is presented for conducting exploratory and advanced development of the design with the option to conduct a formal laboratory demonstration and test of a breadboard prototype Tow Cable Bandwidth Expansion Link.