Topic: Navy to turn up the Bass!!!

[Stormbringer]

Shock tactics to destroy torpedoes
06 October 2005
NewScientist.com news service
Paul Marks
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Torpedo ZapperTHE US navy wants to protect its warships with a system that will destroy incoming torpedoes by firing massive underwater shock waves at them.

The ships would be equipped with arrays of 360 transducers each 1 metre square - effectively big flat-panel loudspeakers - running along either side of the hull below the waterline. When the ship's sonar detects an incoming torpedo, the transducers simultaneously fire an acoustic shock wave of such intensity that the torpedo either detonates early or is disabled by the pulse's crushing force, according to the Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), which is funding the project.

But these are no ordinary loudspeakers: instead of having a membranous diaphragm that can vibrate in response to a range of audio frequencies, each of the devices has a ram-like cylindrical metal armature at its centre. This is projected outwards by electromagnets at very high speed, producing a shock wave. The array can be fired as many times as needed.

When the six rows of 60 transducers on each side of the ship fire at once, the cumulative action should generate a "destructive pressure pulse capable of disabling an enemy's torpedo", according to DARPA.

Exactly how the system works is shrouded in military secrecy. But by making a speaker several times larger than the wavelength of the sound wave required, a tightly focused beam can be produced in front of the speaker. This is because beam width is partly determined by the aperture of the source - a bigger loudspeaker focuses sound in a smaller area. (New Scientist, 9 September 2000, p 38). And the combined size of the array makes for a very large speaker indeed. This focusing would allow the array to precisely target incoming torpedoes. In addition, the beam can be steered in different directions - probably by slightly altering the phase of the applied signals - a technique that is widely used to steer radio waves using side-by-side antennas. So torpedoes homing in on the ship's wake from many directions can be targeted (see Diagram).

So far, the system's developers, Anteon Technologies of Fairfax, Virginia, and BAE Systems of Farnborough, UK, have only built one transducer. But encouraged by software simulations that show the array should work, they plan to press ahead with a one-quarter-scale test rig.

If it reaches the stage of testing in the open ocean, however, the developers are likely to come into conflict with marine biologists. They have evidence that whales blasted by frequent acoustic signals from submarine or ship sonar appear to develop symptoms of decompression sickness, and die. (New Scientist, 11 October 2003, p 10).

“The torpedo detonates early or is disabled by the pulse's crushing force”But neither DARPA, Anteon, nor BAE Systems was willing to respond to questions about the array's proposed energy levels and any threat to marine mammals they might pose.

From issue 2520 of New Scientist magazine, 06 October 2005, page 32

[Stormbringer]

All your torpedo are belong to us now!!

[ELITE-Kaos]

This is another example of technology not giving a F^%K about life other than military personels.

Thanks for the information, I'll be sure to sign up to any petitions relating to banning this from being allowed.  I sent a copy to Greenpeace to make sure that they're aware of this new danger to marine life.

The US Navy has the best passive sonar systems in the world designed to find enemy subs and active sonar to track the target if required.  This along with ASW tactics should stop anything getting near the ship.  Plus, who's navy are you guarding against?

The Russians = Fleet in dry dock rotting.
China = Crap Subs

The only Navy in the world that has anything like the 688 class is us the Brits! The chances of us declaring war on the US are nil so who is the threat that requires this kind of defence?

Maybe the Tuna are planning an attack?

[Nemesis]

I have to disagree with you Kaos.  As I understand Stormbringers posting this system is for active defense.  Only when attacked (or being tested) is it active. 

Just sailing around the ocean with the system inactive harms no one and nothing.  In the event of an attack it is activated and may cause damage to the wildlife, while possibly saving the crew. What damage would occur to the wildlife if the attack got through and sank a nuclear sub (or a diesel sub for that matter)?

Should the U.S. wait for another country to develop top of the line subs before working on defenses or should they prepare now so when and if another nation has top of the line subs the defenses are ready?  Being percieved as able to defend yourself is a good way to avoid being attacked.

[NJAntman]

Sounds like a lot of neat technology and effort to duplicate simply lobbing a depth charge into a torpedoes path. Wouldn't it be easier to place something as simple as the old hedgehog depth-charges to cover the four corners?

[Nemesis]

Sounds like a lot of neat technology and effort to duplicate simply lobbing a depth charge into a torpedoes path. Wouldn't it be easier to place something as simple as the old hedgehog depth-charges to cover the four corners?

No ammunition to run out of.  No explosives to worry about.  Less storage space used up.

[E_Look]

I hope Greenpeace gets caught in the waves.  By the way, I think that post was just to get a few responses out of some of us.  Well, here's mine.

[Lepton]

I think the Navy has done enough to whales already with their wacko low frequency sonar test.  This is more of the same BS.  There is no enemy.  Time to act like it and stop fu**ing with the planet.

[Tus-XC]

really, hmmm let me think... hmmm... wasn't there somthing about being prepared..... you know make sure your always improving, training, getting ready....  o yes there is, of course people only care about it after somthing has gone down that could have been prevented by preparation

[kmelew]

It should be more like...

The Russians = Fleet in dry dock rotting.  But providing design expertise to the Chinese for their next generation SSN's and SSBN's
China = Crap Subs.  But obtaining Russian "Kilo" SSK's and design assistance.  Won't let their fleet rot in dry dock.

[E_Look]

I sometimes wonder, Tus, if the ones clamoring the loudest to weaken or curtail military activities will be the same ones cursing and yelling at the Government for the eventual lack of readiness from the erosion of the military.

Of course, for some of them, that's what they want- a weakened America no longer able to enforce it values, for they see it as too conservative, too Christian, too moral, too ...

[NJAntman]

Brings me back to depth-charges. Wonder what would have happened if Green-peace existed back in the early 40s? I can just imagine the moral outrage everytime a charge went off an brought schools of fish and the occasional whale floating to the surface.

[stoneyface]

WARNING!!!

this is not the H&S forum. any more sniping back and forth and i'll do something very moderartor-like...

you have been warned.

[Villa64]

I especially like this part of the article:

<snip>
...Navy scientists have studied the vulnerability of torpedo fuses and other systems.  Although the torpedoes are hardened against even the unlikelyhood of a nuclear event, the Navy has discovered an even greater distructive audio power.  Along these lines, the Navy has contracted the aural destructive company, called AC/DC, to record the destructive wavelengths required to render any audio receiver completely harmeless.  "They spent decades destroying the hearing of a generation of our youth.  Now we are putting their sound to a more beneficial, but just as destructive use", said the director of the Navy project, Resonators Of Concentrated Kills (ROCK)."

[FRA.E.Kehakoul_XC]

If i were in need to destruct a shkval supercavitation torpedo, that system alone seems to have the flexability to intercept such a fast moving threat.
As this array is a directed focusable defense system
I think, if you train  with this system in a enclosed sea area, and activate it only in dire need in open waters its a acceptable system.
Maybe its possible to compute the interference and phase shifts so exactly to generate a  steerable hot spot ,  and a very weak soft zone arround it.
Although it should be a resarch issue to find  out how far out the kill/hurt zone for marine life really reaches.
Unlike the low frequency sonar crap.

[E_Look]

I suspect though that you can't expect the U.S. Navy to fund such research... or even permit others to do it, as that may be considered breaching the security of information on their weapons.

I know, heck with weapons right?  I think there are two legitimate sides to this issue.

[FRA.E.Kehakoul_XC]

I prefer a balanced situation over   Ghandis asymetric approach.
Weapons are already in the game, and will hardly fade.

[Dracho]

Arm the dolphins!

[Sirgod]

If i were in need to destruct a shkval supercavitation torpedo, that system alone seems to have the flexability to intercept such a fast moving threat.
As this array is a directed focusable defense system
I think, if you train  with this system in a enclosed sea area, and activate it only in dire need in open waters its a acceptable system.
Maybe its possible to compute the interference and phase shifts so exactly to generate a  steerable hot spot ,  and a very weak soft zone arround it.
Although it should be a resarch issue to find  out how far out the kill/hurt zone for marine life really reaches.
Unlike the low frequency sonar crap.

excellent observation. you hit the gist of it. fast. focused. not propagated generally but pretty target specific. ergo less of a threat to marine mammals than the problematic sonar.

[Nemesis]

Arm the dolphins!

It may already have been done.

     
Armed Dolphins Said Set Loose in Gulf by Katrina

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