Sonar science and technology in Russia in the 20th century

Abstract

Russian underwater acoustics traces its roots to the 19th century empirical sound propagation studies on the Sea Devil submarine and theoretical predictions of guided propagation in shallow water. During the World War II, the acute needs to save lives and contribute to the war effort led to rapid expansion of acoustic research and development, especially in mine countermeasures. The growth continued in the post-war years until the USSR collapse and was inspired by the opportunities for naval and civilian applications, which had been opened up by the discovery of the SOFAR channel and deeper understanding of the ocean physics. This paper will briefly review some milestones of underwater acoustic research and development in Russia, from Mikhail Lomonosov to Leonid Brekhovskikh and from Admiral Makarov’s current velocity probe to sonars on early nuclear-powered submarines. Applications of the sonar to improve navigation and characterize the underwater environment will be emphasized.