Submarine Communications

To be effective in todays undersea battlespace, submarines require high levels of connectivity with the outside world whilst simultaneously maintaining their stealthy characteristics. Traditional communication techniques offer slow data rate transmission or require the submarine to operate at periscope depth with an exposed communications mast. Given the harsh and variable ocean environment combined with the requirement for submarines to operate in both deep and coastal waters, there is no single solution to problem of communicating with a submerged submarine. Ultra Electronics' technological prowess has made the company a market leader in submarine communications and the Company offers a wide-range of underwater communication systems. These include tethered and untethered Expendable Communication Buoys, longer range Tactical Paging systems, Reelable Towed Optic Fibre systems, and SATCOM systems.

	RTOF Ultra Electronics' Sonar and Communication Systems division is working with the UK Royal Navy and the US Navy to showcase the Reelable Towed Optic Fibre (RTOF) system. Designed to be fitted to larger submarines, RTOF permits high bandwidth satellite communications from a submarine operating at speed and depth. The system works by unreeling a two meter high communication buoy that is normally stored under the submarine's casing. Once the RTOF buoy reaches the surface high-rate full duplex satellite communications can be initiated between the outside world and the submarine via a fibre-optic cable running from the RTOF buoy to the submarine. Once the fibre-optic line becomes taut, the RTOF submerges and is reeled in fro re-deployment. The RTOF concept of operations avoids the readily detectable wake caused by dragging the buoy on the surface. RTOF Product Sheet
	Deep Siren Ultra Electronics Maritime Systems is teamed with Raytheon NCS and RRK Technologies for the development of a submarine expendable Tactical Paging buoy. Known as the Deep Siren Tactical Pager (DSTP), this buoy is deployed from submerged submarines in order to transmit a message from the submarine to the local or national command authorities at extended ranges (tens of miles). During its three day life, the DSTP serves as a communication gateway for information to be passed via an Iridium satellite link to the submerged submarine.

ECB

Ultra Electronics' Ocean Systems business is a world leader in the design, development, and production of devices that can be launched from a submarine's signal ejector (SSE). The Expendable Communication Buoy (ECB) is one such device that allows a pre-recorded message to be transmitted whilst the submarine is submerged. A Tethered ECB (TECB) is currently under development which will permit two-way communications between the submarine and its tactical or operational commanders.

SATCOM

In addition to supplying RTOF, ECB, and Deep Siren products, Ultra Electronics can provide commercial SATCOM installation as well as UHF, VHF, and other radio band capabilities to most submarines.