Teledyne Marine details how underwater acoustic measurement systems are used by the Royal Swedish Navy to monitor vessel acoustic footprints and support maritime security in complex underwater environments. Read more >>
EmbeddedArt, a Swedish hydroacoustics specialist, has developed a system that records the underwater acoustic “footprint” of naval vessels, capturing sound levels, frequency characteristics, and potential anomalies. Used across a fleet that includes submarines, patrol vessels, mine warfare platforms, and command ships, the system enables detailed measurement of how each vessel sounds beneath the surface. These acoustic footprints vary due to propulsion systems, onboard machinery, vessel design, operating speed, and wear over time.
Operating in the Baltic Sea requires a high level of maritime awareness, as sound propagation is influenced by environmental conditions such as depth, pressure, and temperature. Monitoring vessel acoustic footprints allows the Royal Swedish Navy to identify deviations that may indicate technical issues, detect potential threats, and ensure vessels remain undetected by acoustically triggered mines. The data also supports vessel operators in fine-tuning onboard systems, including the selection of machinery and operating speeds to reduce acoustic output during sensitive missions.
The same acoustic measurement capability supports passive monitoring of ports and naval bases, enabling detection of unauthorized underwater activity, including potential sabotage to critical underwater infrastructure. Measurements are conducted using hydrophones across fixed and mobile stations, including buoy-mounted systems, beam-mounted configurations for submerged vessels, and acoustically isolated locations. Ongoing data collection, including repeated measurements over time, allows comparison of vessel acoustic footprints and supports early identification of anomalies before they affect wider naval operations.
At the core of EmbeddedArt’s system are Teledyne RESON hydrophones, which use piezoelectric materials to deliver accurate underwater acoustic data. Supporting both precision measurement and surveillance applications, the hydrophones maintain long-term calibration stability and responsiveness, even in harsh underwater environments.
David Wolff, EmbeddedArt, said, “We use Teledyne’s hydrophones as part of an advanced acoustic measurement system designed to record the underwater ‘footprint’ of naval vessels. Essentially, we’re measuring how each ship sounds beneath the surface. How loud it is, what frequencies it emits, and whether there’s anything unusual that could indicate a technical issue.”
To find out more information, read ‘Tracking the Sounds that Safeguard Sweden’s Seas’ here >>
