Imaging sonar development for mine countermeasure applications

Abstract

Over the past decade the Office of Naval Research (ONR) has sponsored research to improve the mine countermeasures (MCM) community’s ability to detect, classify, reacquire, and identify mines. In the first stage of wide area detection and classification, the single biggest problem is the ability to distinguish mines from clutter with side-scan sonar assets. In the reacquire-identify stage, divers employ a single-beam aural sonar for guidance to close proximity for visual identification of targets. Current sonar research efforts in wide-area search focus on clutter rejection through high-resolution imaging by synthetic aperture processing and cuing from broadband response characteristics. For reacquisition and identification, research has focused on compact, multibeam imagers. ONR’s focus on transition from towbodies and divers to numbers of small, unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) to improve MCM clearance rates has had a major impact on sensor development as well. The presentation will provide an introduction to the session by providing a brief history of the development of navy imaging sonars, how they are employed, and an overview of the current thrusts that will lead to the next generation of Navy MCM sonars.