Posted on 04/13/2009 4:15:04 PM PDT by SandRat
WASHINGTON, April 13, 2009 The Navys ability to harness sonar technology has allowed submarines to navigate more safely in the dark depths of the ocean while also allowing other ships to locate and identify them, said a senior Navy submariner. Sonar is our only window to the world, said Navy Capt. Jeffrey Currer, head of the Navys Undersea Surveillance Branch. He discussed the various uses of sonar during an April 8 Armed with Science webcast on Pentagon Web Radio. The word sonar originated as an acronym for sound, navigation and ranging technology. Navy submarines most commonly use passive sonar, which Currer described as listening devices that detect sound released by objects in the ocean. Passive sonar is used to identify and classify these objects within the complex acoustic underwater environment, which consists of a mixture of sound waves produced by ships, electric cables, seismic activity and marine animals.
|
Related Sites: "Armed with Science: Research and Applications for the Modern Military" on Pentagon Web Radio |
Is that a secure ping? ;)
Hell no; it’s a full power, seawater boiling 0db ping that the sonar girls only get to do once or twice in a career.
As I recall from the old days, every time sonar did an active ping they would burn out a very expensive set of matched electron tubes. Hopefully our electronics have advanced past that stage by now.
SKCM(SS), USN Retired
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.