As interest increases regarding the operation of acoustic sensing systems below critical ocean depths, applications for deep, long life passive sonobuoy sensor systems are growing. Currently, no A-sized sonobuoy can fill this capability gap. To develop a deep long life passive sonobuoy to operate at extremely deep depths close to or on the ocean bottom requires specific considerations and adaptations to current buoy technology. The considerations and implications are furthered when the desired buoy is A-sized, a compact system that already makes full use of its current space, power, communications and weight limitations. The ultimate solution requires a coordinated, simultaneous solution effort. The effort will move from initial design approaches to modeling and simulation activities that evaluate prospective designs associated with the power, space, weight, communications, deployment and self-noise remediation. When appropriately studied through this topic, these challenges can be addressed both independently and also as part of the overall system.
Benefit: The effort will result in a coordinated solution to the requirements for deploying acoustic sensing systems below critical depth in the ocean at extremely deep depths close to or on the ocean bottom, with a longer life and appropriate RF links, and packaged in an A-size buoy form. In addition to Navy use, such sensors have potential applications in seismology, marine mammal detection and terrorist security systems.
Keywords: passive, passive, reliable acoustic path, Deep Ocean, anti-submarine warfare (ASW), Sonobuoy
