Acoustic Arrays for Torpedo Defense

The Navy's Sea Power 21 vision requires future naval forces to have assured access to littoral waters. Sea Strike forces must have the ability to conduct maritime operations in the presence of diesel submarine threats and surface craft capable of launching wake homing torpedoes. The Acoustic Arrays For Torpedo Defense (Electric Curtain) program will demonstrate the feasibility of using an array of transducers to form a destructive pressure pulse capable of disabling an enemy's torpedo. Of critical importance is the ability to accurately predict non-linear pressure pulse propagation effects and corresponding timing delays used during pressure pulse generation and beamforming. Additionally, the beamformed pressure pulse must be of sufficient amplitude and duration to destroy a wake homing torpedo at tactically significant ranges.