DRDC Atlantic Develops New Sonar Processing Technique to Improve Torpedo Defence on Halifax-class frigates

10 December 2004

A new sonar processing technique called the “Sharpshin" system, developed by scientists at DRDC Atlantic, shows promising performance in detection and tracking of torpedoes, and will form the basis for automated sonar processing techniques to be developed in a new Torpedo Defence Technology Demonstration Program starting at DRDC Atlantic in 2005.

As part of a recent research initiative to improve Torpedo defence capabilities on Canadian ships and submarines, two DRDC Atlantic scientists, Mr. Art Collier and Dr. Mark Trevorrow, installed and operated a new sonar processing system on HMCS Vancouver (a Halifax-class frigate). During the Nov. 4 – 14th, 2003 trials, approximately 20 separate firing exercises were conducted with Mk48 and Mk24 torpedoes, providing many opportunities to investigate the performance of the experimental systems.

Over the past several years Art Collier has been leading the development of new sonar processing techniques for the AN/SQS-510 Hull-Mounted Sonar (HMS) carried aboard CF Navy ships. This work has produced the "Sharpshin" system (named for a species of Hawk), a cluster of Commercial off the Shelf workstations mounted in a single electronics rack. Sharpshin can be directly interfaced to the HMS receiver electronics, without interfering with its normal operation, and then operated ‘side-by-side’ with the standard HMS operator console located in the ship’s Operations Room. This side-by-side operation allows direct evaluation of new torpedo detection and tracking algorithms in an operational context, and direct comparison with existing torpedo defence protocols. These at-sea evaluations were conducted during torpedo firing exercises in November, 2003 at the Canadian Forces Maritime Experimental Test Range (CFMETR) near Nanaimo, B.C.

The torpedo trial was one of an ongoing series of trials involving the US, UK and Canadian Navies, focused on technical and tactical aspects of torpedo defence. In addition to the evaluation of the DRDC processing system, the trials incorporated the testing of a prototype UK Navy Surface-Ship Torpedo Defence (SSTD) system and the initial at-sea trial of the Canadian Navy’s improved NIXIE torpedo defence system, which will eventually be installed on all Halifax-class frigates. The UK SSTD system is being developed by Ultra Electronics, whose Canadian subsidiary (formerly Hermes Electronics) manufactures the towed acoustic arrays for the system. DRDC received assistance with the operation and evaluation of Sharpshin from experienced sonar operators from the Acoustic Data Analysis Center (ADAC) and the Canadian Forces Maritime Warfare Centre (CFMWC), both in Halifax.