High-Speed Pulsed Multiplexer (HSPM) with Array Power Distribution

Towed array hydrophones have long been commonplace among the world’s major navies. They are a key sensor in a naval vessel’s capability to detect, track, and classify other vessels.  Towed array hydrophones provide numerous advantages over hull-mounted sonars such as variable depth, greater detection ranges, and a reduction in the effect from one’s own ship noise (i.e., towing the array far behind the ship). Luna Labs proposes to develop a towed array FLM system (“High Speed Pulsed Multiplexer (HSPM)”), which acquires data from a down-stream multiplexer that then passes on the data to a subsequent upstream HSPM. There will be multiple HSPM multiplexers associated with each array section. The term “Pulsed” refers to the pulsed transfer of the data through the acoustic array. Luna Labs will work with Navy subject matter experts to develop designs that would perform as desired when integrated with the other open architecture telemetry elements, towed array hydrophones, and towed array physical form factor.