GeoSpectrum Technologies (GTI) has announced that it has received funding from the Government of Canada under the Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security Program (IDEaS), to commence the initial development of a Passive Autonomous Acoustic Surveillance System (PAASS).
This project will demonstrate the feasibility of utilizing a networked array of persistent autonomous platforms for the layered surveillance and tracking of underwater objects including submarines and unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs). PAASS will also be capable of detecting surface vessels, making it a useful tool for counter narcotic and illegal trafficking operations.
Paul Yeatman, President of GeoSpectrum, commented: “We’re very excited to be one of the initial recipients of funding under the IDEaS program. This program is an ideal mechanism to allow industry and academia to help the Department of National Defence meet defence and security challenges by introducing unique, cutting-edge solutions.”
PAASS will be reconfigurable utilizing a common sonar processor, and combinations of long and medium endurance unmanned surface vehicles (USVs), UUVs, ice moorings, and open water moorings to suit the location and mission.
This project will leverage technologies under development by GTI for Artic maritime surveillance and undersea communications that are part of the All Domain Situational Awareness (ADSA) program. Ongoing work to develop on-board sonar processing for autonomous platforms will also be leveraged.
Mr. Yeatman added: “For the persistent maritime surveillance challenge, autonomous systems with embedded intelligent signal processing are key to providing adequate, cost-effective surveillance coverage in Canada’s vast maritime areas, and we believe PAASS can be used as the framework to meet this challenge.”
