Undersea Surveillance

To counter increasingly sophisticated underwater threats, Ultra Electronics is simultaneously developing several next generation Undersea Surveillance Systems architectures.  With the capability to provide a constant monitor on sea-based forces that can strike ports, coastlines and other vital areas, Ultra's development has focused on long life, easily deployable semi-autonomous systems.  Designed to be self configuring and with significant in sensor processing, both acoustic information and non-acoustic information can be provided to the end user.  Uplink of pertinent data can be accomplished through line-of-sight VHF-FM, conventional satellite communication, or through a fixed cable (fibre-optic or electrical).  Specific features of Ultra's Surveillance Systems include:

• Proven Deployment Technology based upon our packaging expertise for reliable operation in the open ocean, Ultra's deployment system ensures consistent distribution of the sensor package.
• Multiple Sensors can be utilised to detect and tract the target due to our experience in acoustic, magnetic field and electric field systems.
• Commandable to optimise system for operation in a specific environment or in conjunction with other assets.
• Multi Static Capable surveillance system permits large areas of water to be quickly searched.

Stealth Buoy

Most military forces use sonobuoys to conduct relatively brief searches for submarines. The drawbacks with such conventional sonobuoys is that they don't remain where they were deployed, they require an operator to analyse the acoustic data, they are prone to drifting due to ocean current, and they have a maximum life of eight hours.   The Stealth Buoy, by contrast, is designed to lie on the ocean floor listening for signals of interest.  Once a sound is detecting the Stealth Buoy uses in-buoy processing to assess whether the sound is emanating from a pre-selected target of interest.  If so, the Stealth Buoy initiates its buoyancy engine and rises to the ocean?s surface to report the contact. It can monitor an area within a kilometer or two of its placement, transmit data to a receiving station, and then return to the ocean floor to wait for the next event.  Weighing approximately 11 kilograms, the Stealth Buoy has been developed to be deployed from ships, submarines, or aircraft.  Fitted with a GPS and an Iridium satellite transceiver, the Stealth Buoy can communicate potential targets of interest over very long distances.  Extremely versatile, the Stealth Buoy can be equipped with a wide variety of sensors and can be used in military, counter-terrorist, anti-smuggling, illegal immigrant, fisheries, or marine mammal mitigation operations.

Stealth product sheet

For more information, email navalsystems@ultra-uems.com.