Maritime Systems is a leader in the design, development, and manufacture of both passive and active sonar systems in Canada. Supplying military and research establishments around the world, the Company offers bespoke solutions to meet each customer's requirements. These state-of-the-art Towed Arrays for warship and submarine application offer superior detection, classification, and localization of modern submarines.
Passive Towed Arrays
Maritime Systems is "Canada's Centre of Excellence for Towed Arrays" and as such operates the country's largest towed array manufacturing facility. Towed array solution are available across a wide range of frequency spectrums, hose diameters and through the use of either analogue and digital telemetry backbones. Maritime Systems' latest product is the Modular Towed Array Sonar System (MTASS). Designed with maximum flexibility in mind, the MTASS can be configured to function as a conventional omni passive towed array, an array with left-right ambiguity resolution, or as part of an integrated active-passive towed sonar system.
Modular Towed Array Sonar System
Key attributes of MTASS include:
- High dynamic range to allow detection of the quiet target signals in passive operations as well as to function in multi-static operations;
- Omni-Directional and Directional sensor modules based upon a common digital system architecture;
- Wide acoustic bandwidth to optimise flexibility and interoperability with other systems such as dipping sonar, hull mounted sonar, and sonobuoy active search systems;
- Cost effective to fit within the constraints of customer budgets; and
- Can accommodate flexible tow body which replaces SLQ-25 (Nixie) function.
Directional Acoustic Sensor
Maritime Systems has produced several versions of directional acoustic sensors. Modules for use in towed sonar systems. Incorporation of a directional sensor module eliminates the mirror bearings typical of towed array solutions, thereby permitting a faster fix of the target's position.
Vibration Isolation
Key to enhanced acoustic performance of a towed sonar system is the ability to effectively isolate the sensitive array hydrophones from the tow platforms own self noise. Maritime Systems is a well respected expert in mechanical isolation through the implementation of specially designed vibration isolation modules fitted fore and aft of the array's acoustic aperture.
Active Towed Sonar
Low Frequency Active sonar used either monostatically or as a multi-static source can offer significant improvements in the range at which a submerged target is detected. Maritime Systems has supplied towed sonar systems using a variety of different transducer technologies to a number of clients. Both reelable horizontal projector technology and vertical projector technology are available.
Using its Free Flooded Ring technology, Maritime Systems has constructed large, high-power towed active sonars designed primarily for warship multi-static operations. These vertical projector towed systems offer low frequency, high source level transmission that can be steered in azimuth. Moreover, Free Flooded Rings are virtually immune to the effects of hydrostatic pressure. The disadvantage with this approach is that two tows are typically required behind the warship. One to handle the passive receive array and a second for the towed active sonar. An alternative system has been perfected at Maritime Systems known as the horizontal projector array (HPA). In this system, cylindrical transducers are situated inside a larger diameter towed array. Maritime Systems has constructed arrays using both Barrel Stave Projector and Modular Projector System transducer technology. The HPA approach allows for the passive array to be towed aft of the active sonar module thereby greatly simplifying the winch and handling system on board the ship. The disadvantage to the HPA technology is that it is depth limited and steering the sonar beam in azimuth is more complicated that in a traditional towed sonar system.
Active Sonar Transducer Products
Maritime Systems offers a wide range of active transducer / projector technologies to meet customer requirements across a wide range of operating frequencies, source levels, and depth. Maritime Systems provides these transducers as a ''one-off build' or as part of a fully integrated sonar system. |
