Applied Research In Acoustics LLC — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: N162-099

Description

To provide a robust capability for transmission-loss (TL) estimation that enables discrimination of clutter from possible target echoes, ARiA will develop and demonstrate the feasibility of the Compressive Estimation and Reconstruction of TL and Environment (CERTEN) algorithm and software for multistatic Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) sonars to decrease the workload of P-3/P-8 Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft (MPRA) ASW acoustic-sensor operators by reducing or eliminating clutter from Multistatic Active Coherent (MAC) contacts. ARiA will develop and evaluate (1) dictionary learning from measured and simulated acoustical data, (2) sparse estimation and reconstruction from measured TL data, and (3) TL-based clutter suppression using estimated TL grids. The Phase I effort will (1) research, design, and develop the CERTEN algorithm and software as a TL-estimation and clutter-suppression capability for multistatic ASW; (2) demonstrate that CERTEN can feasibly meet Navy needs by robustly estimating TL in a wide range of locations and environmental conditions to enhance operator performance through improved search-mission planning and TL-based clutter rejection that reduces false-alarm rate (FAR) and operator work load; and (3) establish that CERTEN can be developed into a useful product for the Navy that is compatible with TDAs and tactical systems in use by the Airborne ASW community.