With maritime defense organizations increasingly prioritizing uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) and autonomous underwater robotics, Applied Acoustics is providing its Ultra Short Baseline (USBL) tracking systems to support the safety of naval personnel from potential hazards.
Autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) are widely utilized for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions, as well as for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and mine countermeasure (MCM) tasks.
Although these robotic platforms are specifically designed for missions such as detecting and neutralizing underwater threats, their success heavily depends on supplementary subsystems that provide situational awareness, precise positioning, and target guidance.
USBL Tracking Systems
When guiding an AUV or ROV toward a designated target and tracking its position during the mission, a USBL tracking system offers an efficient and straightforward method to confirm and document the vehicle’s trajectory.
Target coordinates are input into the USBL control system, enabling the vehicle operator to monitor its progress and make adjustments as needed to ensure it reaches its destination. Without a USBL system, operators would lack critical positional data, essentially rendering them unable to navigate effectively.
Applied Acoustics and the aae technologies group have supplied USBL systems for numerous military applications, with a strong emphasis on the MCM field. Over 250 USBL systems have been deployed in the defense sector, ranging from commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) products to custom-designed OEM systems.
These systems, leveraging Applied Acoustics’ advanced acoustic technology, are tailored to meet the unique requirements of military organizations and defense contractors.
Whether portable systems for use on small craft, integrated systems permanently installed on naval vessels, or airborne systems deployed from helicopters, the company’s engineers and broader team bring extensive expertise to a sector that increasingly relies on subsea acoustics.
Autonomous Surface Vessels
A notable advancement in maritime defense is the deployment of autonomous surface vessels (ASVs) for launching remote subsea vehicles. ASVs further reduce human exposure to potential dangers and introduce new requirements for autonomous operations.
Image credit: Kraken Robotics
While AUVs and ROVs still need to be tracked and monitored, these tasks may no longer be performed by operators stationed on a nearby mothership. Instead, they can be managed by teams located hundreds of miles away.
The combination of through-water acoustics and satellite-transmitted data enables operators to carry out their duties safely from remote locations, far removed from the operational zone.
An OEM variant of the Nexus 2 USBL system plays a pivotal role in such operations, autonomously delivering reliable and precise subsea positioning data and transmitting it via radio modem technology to a remote operations center.
Positioning Beacons
Although vessel-based USBL systems remain essential to these activities, they rely on the integration of a dependable acoustic transducer within the individual vehicle to provide positional data.
Applied Acoustics delivers an extensive range of transducers designed for seamless integration with AUVs and ROVs, ensuring clear and accurate communication between the remote vehicle and its base station.
Some of these transducers can be retrofitted as standalone battery-powered transponders. However, Applied Acoustics has a proven track record of collaborating with vehicle manufacturers to develop factory-level integrated solutions, resulting in fully optimized systems.
