SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
India’s growing nuclear submarine fleet is set to receive a significant upgrade with the integration of Conformal Flank Array Side Array Sonar systems. These advanced sonar arrays, designed for passive acoustic monitoring, will play a pivotal role in enhancing the detection and tracking capabilities of India’s nuclear attack submarines (SSNs). By incorporating this sophisticated technology, Indian submarines will be better equipped to detect potential threats, such as enemy submarines, destroyers, and torpedoes, that could jeopardize their safety during covert operations.
Flank array sonars are a type of side sonar system that utilize hydrophones strategically placed along the hull of a submarine. These arrays are integral to the submarine’s acoustic detection capabilities, providing 360-degree passive monitoring of its surroundings. The main advantage of flank arrays lies in their ability to provide a larger aperture for sound detection, as they extend along the submarine’s hull. This increases the submarine’s acoustic sensitivity over a wider area, without compromising the hull’s integrity or requiring the added complexity of a towed array system.
One of the key characteristics of the Conformal Flank Array Side Array Sonar is its ability to monitor low-frequency sounds (below 100 Hz), which are often dominated by machine, propeller, or flow noises. These low frequencies are particularly significant in submarine operations as they allow the detection of potential threats such as other submarines or surface ships. Since passive sonar systems do not actively transmit sound, they rely on detecting the propeller noise or other distinct sounds generated by approaching threats. These systems are crucial for submarines to maintain stealth, as they do not give away their position when monitoring their surroundings.
Flank arrays have been specially designed to perform well under these conditions by having an omnidirectional pattern that ensures optimal sound detection at low frequencies. This is important because self-noise from the submarine’s machinery can interfere with sonar readings. By maintaining sensitivity to low-frequency sounds, flank arrays enhance the submarine’s ability to detect enemy vessels or torpedoes, even in noisy operational environments.
Despite their advantages, flank array systems are not without their challenges. The main limitation of this sonar type is the length of the submarine hull, as the size of the array is constrained by the submarine’s physical dimensions. Additionally, the depth of the sonar system is influenced by the submarine’s operational depth limits. These factors can make it difficult to achieve optimal acoustic sensitivity, especially in deep-water environments.
Furthermore, the effectiveness of flank arrays depends heavily on the sampling frequency and noise-filtering capabilities of the system. In noisy environments, such as those near enemy warships or in areas with high submarine traffic, detecting subtle sounds from potential threats becomes increasingly difficult. Therefore, flank arrays must be designed with advanced filtering technology to distinguish target sounds from the submarine’s operational noise.
Submarines typically use bow arrays and towed arrays for their detection and tracking operations. The bow array, located at the front of the submarine, has a limited aperture due to the width constraints of the hull, which limits its detection range. Similarly, the towed array, while offering a large aperture for monitoring, requires a winch and long tow cable, which can cause manoeuvring challenges and installation difficulties.
In contrast, flank arrays solve many of these issues. By placing the hydrophones along the sides of the submarine, flank arrays provide an extended acoustic monitoring range without being limited by the submarine’s width or requiring additional equipment like a towed cable. This makes the flank array an ideal solution for continuous and stealthy monitoring, as it can detect and track targets around the submarine, giving it greater situational awareness without sacrificing stealth.
For submarines, the most dangerous threats are torpedoes and depth charges, which, if hit, can easily result in catastrophic damage or destruction. These weapons are primarily launched by enemy submarines or destroyers, making early detection vital to avoiding engagement. Submarines rely heavily on their sonar systems, including flank arrays, to detect the propeller noise of these torpedoes and enemy vessels, giving them the ability to manoeuvre and avoid the attack.
Submarines are typically designed to track, classify, and engage threats without visual contact, relying almost entirely on sonar systems like flank arrays to identify and assess potential threats from great distances. The integration of this technology into India’s nuclear attack submarines will significantly enhance their survivability and combat effectiveness by allowing them to detect, track, and evade threats before they can close in for an attack.
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