Robust Passive Sonar (RPS)

The Robust Passive Sonar (RPS) program developed innovative, adaptive signal processing algorithms for passive submarine and surface ship towed arrays that suppress the acoustic interference generated by surface shipping and increased the detectability of threat submarines. At the lower acoustic frequencies, shipping interference represents the primary noise background limiting the performance of existing sonar systems in littoral areas. Net system performance gains of 10-20 dB were the RPS' objective utilizing precise notching of shipping interference and the algorithms and array geometries used to accomplish these gains would dictate future tactical sonar designs. The program successfully collected high quality, mobile, multi-line, towed array acoustic and ancillary data and utilized this data to develop and assess signal processing architectures and algorithms.

Program Accomplishments:

• Completed processing architecture and algorithms development.
• Evaluated logarithms in laboratory testing.
• Completed system trade studies for alternative acoustic aperture concepts