Target-less Relative Reference Sensor System (R2S2)

Existing Relative Reference Sensor Systems (R2S2) employed on SSBN blocking vessels impose a safety risk because they require sailors to go topside while underway to install / uninstall large targets poles on the submarine.  ASC and the Navy have been developing a target-less system by utilizing ASC’s technology; the 3D Global Shutter Flash LiDAR (GSFL). During the Phase I program, ASC acquired 3D GSFL images of sea going vessels and demonstrated that an SSBN relative bearing can be derived from these images.  The GSFL is designed to be deployed on a blocking vessel and interface with the existing shipboard dynamic positioning systems (DPS) to track and maintain the relative / absolute bearing, heading, and speed of a surfaced submarine without the need to physically modify the submarine deck or hull.  Redundancy can be achieved by mounting two sensors on the blocking vessel.  The system uses off-the-shelf hardware technology combined with previously demonstrated machine vision object recognition and tracking algorithms. ASC was awarded a phase II that developed 2 prototype R2S2 GSFL systems. These units were used for SW development and supported at sea testing for algorithm development and performance evaluation. The completion of the phase II effort demonstrated that the system can meet the requirements. It also identified areas of improvement for follow on development. This follow on phase II effort will address these improvements, and will ruggedize the hardware design to meet the shipboard environmental requirements. At the completion of this effort, the design for the hardware and software will be matured up through PDR and be ready to procure HW to build test bed units.