Sea Power: Sonar - Collins future sonar upgrade | ADM Apr 2009
Tom Muir Canberra
The task was aimed at defining the scope, options, cost, timeframes, risks, and evaluation criteria for future RFTs and constraints on the improvement of the sonar system in the six Collins Class submarines, including through-life support.
Shipyards and submarine builders were excluded from bidding for the study and, as for most above-the-line-or as Qinetiq's Mike Kalms prefers it-client-sided contracts, the successful tenderer was excluded from being the prime contractor/integrator or from providing equipment for the sonar systems under subsequent RFTs.
SEA1439 Phase 6 aims to upgrade the sonar system in the Collins class submarines through a program of replacement and improvement of onboard processors and outboard sonar arrays to meet a range of capability improvement requirements.
Defence's preference is for an incremental approach to the upgrade, using COTS based Open Architecture (OA) permitting the insertion of products from multiple vendors.
It would also provide a path for subsequent incremental improvements and capability insertions through a regular technical refresh program.
First pass approval for the sonar upgrade project will be sought later this year.
It has a current provision in the DCP of approximately $350-450 million with a YOD of 2008/2009 to 2010/2011.
The Navy is adopting OA as a way to reduce the rising cost of naval warfare systems and platforms and to increase the capabilities of our systems.
OA allows for the rapid incorporation of more COTS technology in warfare systems and enabling reuse of software and related assets.
More importantly, OA will contribute to greater competition among system developers through the use of open standards and standard, published interfaces.
It will also require greater collaboration.
Study aims
The study contractor was to provide an Open System Architecture Concept for the replacement of the onboard sonar signal processing as well as a Business Model to support the management and incorporation of third party components into the proposed sonar systems.
This information would be used as critical input for first pass approval this year.
Interestingly, the contractor was directed to consider developments associated with current submarine sonar upgrade programs.
These were the:
• US Navy's Acoustic Rapid COTS Insertion (ARCI) program,
• Royal Navy's S2076 and S2054 submarine sonar suite upgrades, and
• Royal Norwegian Navy's OA COTS-based sonar processing suite for the ULA Class submarines.
For the purpose of the study, the onboard sonar system comprised the signal processing chain from the digital output interface of the FECs (forward error corrections) through to the sonar displays and the provision of sonar data to third party systems.
The FECs provide digitised sonar sensor data.
Study findings
The study contract was awarded to UK firm Advansys Solutions Ltd, experts in open systems architectures, whose representatives briefed industry on their findings in October last year.
Advansys has worked closely with the UK MoD on resolving technical and program issues associated with introducing open systems standards and architectures into the UK's legacy defence capability.
Interestingly, the company states that it has strong links with the core US companies involved in the ARCI program, adding that its depth of technical understanding, "provides customers with an objective assessment of the degree of openness offered by differing technical solutions."
Industry representatives at the briefing were told that the classical approach to implementing an open architecture system, using systems/components (the buzzword here is granules) from various suppliers, was through the provision of common processing nodes with system-wide Middleware providing common services and isolating applications from hardware.
But while this approach had been proven to work-the US ARCI program was the best example-it might not work for Australia due to cost and restrictions on the supply chain.
And while the UK had started down this route it did not standardise on a single solution.
Author's note: For the Stage 5 2076 Trafalgar and Astute programs Thales introduced their own OA solution, while Lockheed Martin used an approach similar to the ARCI program for their OA upgrade of the 2054 Vanguard sonar.
Virtual environment solution
Since most suppliers now offered COTS solutions and all used COTS operating systems (Linux, Solaris, Windows) industry was told that this opened the opportunity for an alternative to the classical approach, viz. Virtual Environments.
Advansys' proposed a Virtual Machine solution that would see virtualisation software ‘sitting' on hardware and emulating a number of computing nodes.
With their servers, hardware and networks virtualised, these become virtual machines with the operating systems loaded in exactly the same way as if they were actual machines, with different suppliers running on different virtual machines.
According to Advansys, the current status of virtual environment is:
• used in most ISP and data warehouses
• able to port existing applications to new hardware seamlessly
• modern servers outperform demand
• give people their own machine without giving them their own machine
• mature technology in these ISP/data domains
• VMWare: revenue 2007 $1.3 billion; 100 000 installations.
While we leave Defence to mull over whatever feedback it obtained from those attending the Advansys briefing as to whether the virtual environment OA concept would, or would not work with their systems, we look briefly at other solutions that surely will be proposed at the RFT stage for this project, possibly towards the end of this year.
Kongsberg ULA solution
The Royal Norwegian Navy's six ULA-Class submarines, all commissioned by the early ‘90s, were equipped with sonars from Atlas Elektronik, Sperry (now Lockheed Martin) and a LOFAR Information System from Thales.
Due to obsolescence reasons, the RNoN decided to replace all sonar electronics with modern COTS-based technical solutions.
As detailed investigations of the existing hydrophone arrays showed that these were all in very good shape, it was decided to keep the complete wet part of the passive sonar systems as they were, and only renew the submarine internal parts.
The winning technical solution awarded to Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace in May 2008, was based on reuse of the sonar wet parts, but introducing a COTS-based new sonar processing suite.
This covered the whole chain from FEC/analogue to digital conversion, sonar processing and presentation of the results on new multi-function consoles.
The main architecture design choices were:
- Processors based on x86 processor architecture (PC)
- MF consoles (Microsoft Windows)
- Passive sonar system (Linux).
Kongsberg says their technical solution fully met the customer's expectations in terms of low cost, no contractor lock-in, upgradeability and possibility of transfer to a new platform (i.e. submarine).
It can be expected that Kongsberg will propose a similar system for the Collins OA sonar processing system upgrade.
USN ARCI program
The ARCI program is a phased effort to provide the submarine force with a common sonar that is far more capable and flexible than earlier designs.
An open-systems architecture (OSA) exploiting commercial processing development permits the use of complex algorithms that could not previously be accommodated.
COTS based processors and OA technology and systems allow onboard computing power to grow at nearly the same rate as that of commercial industry.
This facilitates regular updates to both software and hardware with minimal impact on submarine scheduling.
Lockheed Martin Maritime Systems & Sensors is the lead contractor for the US Navy's ARCI Program.
This multi-phase development initiative provides for sonar systems upgrades on existing legacy submarine sonar systems including the SSN-688, SSN-688I, SSN-21, and SSBN-726 class submarines.
The use of COTS with open systems architecture allows for continuous updates and reduces total ownership costs.
In Australia, Lockheed Martin has confirmed that it would be proposing the ARCI system for SEA 1439/6.
Royal Navy S2076 S2054 sonar programs
In a multi-stage, 17-year program Thales Underwater Systems UK, has been retrofitting their advanced Sonar 2076 in the RN's Trafalgar Class submarines and installing the same sonar in the new Astute Class SSNs.
Sonar 2076 is a very sophisticated submarine sonar suite capable of detecting and tracking small targets from hundreds of miles away.
Latterly, Stage 5 of this ongoing program has seen the replacement of the existing inboard processing equipment with an open architecture COTS based processing system.
As delegated design authority for Sonar 2076 Thales UK has been lead sonar provider and lead system integrator.
Stage 5 is to retain the full capabilities and functionalities of the latest Stage 4 standard, while opening up the system to allow the customer to rapidly and cost-effectively insert new capabilities during the life of the submarine.
HMS Trenchant will be a test platform for open systems architecture, COTS combat and sonar systems, as the boat will not only be equipped with Sonar 2076 Stage 5, but also with the latest version of the BAE Systems-supplied submarine command system and the new Ultra Electronics-supplied Talan local area network, both based on commercial-off-the-shelf systems.
Sonar 2054 is the sonar suite installed on the Royal Navy's Vanguard-class ballistic submarines.
Type 2054 sonar suite comprises sonar S2046 towed sonar array, active/passive hull-mounted S2043 and S2082 passive intercept and ranging sonar.
In September 2006, the Royal Navy awarded Lockheed Martin UK a seven-year contract to upgrade this sonar suite which was reporting obsolescence issues.
The contract goal was the insertion of COTS technology into the Sonar 2054 to turn it into an open architecture system.
This approach is similar to ARCI which was integrated successfully into US Navy's submarines.
According to Lockheed Martin (UDT 2008) the success of the ARCI model has been demonstrated with all US submarine classes.
It has been further demonstrated that the ARCI model can be adapted and modified with highly successful results to solving similar modernization issues on the UK Vanguard and Canadian Victoria Class submarines.
The cornerstones of this model focus on the extensive use on an open architecture, application of commercial standards, COTS, and the adaptation of an Open Business Model.
Post-study developments
No doubt the study findings, including the business case that formed part of it, are being given serious consideration and may well add shape to the business case for Phase 6 that will go forward as part of the submission for first pass approval.
Towards this end the function and performance specifications (FPS) are being developed and we understand a private contractor has been called in to assist with this work.
The FPS must provide a clear description of the system to prospective tenderers, as well as form the basis of the acquisition contract.
Comment
Our concerns are that when the Commonwealth terminated the selection of the STN Atlas ISUS for the Collins replacement combat system it embarked upon a journey that may have serious consequences for this country's future independence in military operations.
The decision to acquire a US developmental system of lesser capability, due to pressure from the US Navy, has been both risky and costly and has raised questions about the capabilities of the submarine fleet.
With its foot in the door, the US Navy may again bring pressure to bear on the choice of open system architecture for the Collins future sonar upgrade with ARCI, a US Navy funded program, the obvious choice.
The AN/BYG-1 combat system in the Collins is a US Navy system and, like it or not, its further development is at the behest of the US Navy.
Technical issues may well be raised over a foreign OA system processing and feeding data to it.
And if the ARCI model is selected can we be assured that it will be truly open to both US and non-US sonar systems, and that we are not locked out of accessing those advanced sonar developments that appear to be the hallmark of the European sonar industry.