Non-collinear Wave-front Curvature Range Measurement

The goal of this Phase II SBIR is to extract more information from existing submarine acoustic sensors through a highly innovative inter- and intra-sensor correlation algorithmic, in order to provide U.S. submarines with increased acoustic superiority over increasingly quiet adversaries. U.S. adversaries are continuously improving their acoustic quieting technologies through efforts such as marine machining, energy generation, and propulsion. As a result, adversaries are emitting less acoustic energy than a decade ago and they will emit even less acoustic energy in the coming decade. The Department of the Navy (DoN) has made significant investments improving sensor capabilities. Today’s sensors have higher resolution and more data available to operators and sonar algorithms than ever before. There has been a concerted effort by the Navy to find ways to extract more information from acoustic sensors while reducing operator workload, in order to retain a strategic advantage over adversaries. One means of extracting more information from current sensors is through single- and multi-sensor correlation. The technology developed under this effort will provide automated sonar data correlation tool that both improves sonar contact localization capability and reduces operator workload.