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Successful Testing Highlights Capabilities of ADS for ASW, Maritime Surveillance

Navy Newsstand

Story Number: NNS031204-13

Release Date: 12/5/2003 1:01:00 AM

By Maria Zacharias, Naval Sea Systems Command Public Affairs

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- The Advanced Deployable System (ADS), an undersea surveillance system for shallow water littoral missions, successfully completed dual array testing off San Diego in mid-November.

The system, one of several anti-submarine warfare (ASW) mission modules to be carried on the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), successfully transmitted data from two arrays on the ocean floor to a processing site on shore. Using Advanced Rapid COTS [commerical off the shelf] Insertion technology, the data fed acoustic displays in a shore facility, where they provided a real-time tactical picture of a target of interest over a long period of time.

ADS's arrays are made up of acoustic sensors that are connected by cable and laid on the ocean floor in configurations that can cover a wide field for broad surveillance, or focus on a narrow passage, effectively forming a barrier to vessels entering the area. Using fixed, passive surveillance, ADS is rapidly deployable and self-powered.

ADS is modular and configurable for specific missions. Acoustic data is transmitted to the processing site via a wireless link. ADS provides a complete maritime picture with its capability to detect not only submarines, but merchant shipping and small craft, as well.

ADS will provide the Joint Maritime Task Force Commander a new capability to perform the maritime surveillance mission in the contested and acoustically cluttered littoral environment in a rapid and flexible manner. During its developmental testing, ADS has demonstrated detection of diesel-electric submarines, and mine-laying operations.

"ADS has shown that it's more than an ASW asset," said Program Manager John Thornton. "The system has demonstrated the capability to track all targets of interest, whether at the surface, subsurface or ashore."

When eventually adopted for the LCS, ADS will extend the tactical horizon of the LCS platform by 30-80 km. Under current schedules, ADS will demonstrate on a deployed surface ship its passive acoustic off-board sensor capability in fiscal year 2005. Development of LCS deployment of ADS is scheduled to commence in fiscal year 2006 and be completed in fiscal year 2008 when operational evaluation is completed.