New Wave Media

 

The U.S. Navy has awarded two contracts to Charles River Analytics Inc. to improve undersea threat defenses by enhancing torpedo detection, tracking and fire-control, through the use of Charles River’s multi-sensor information fusion technology, called TSUNAMI and its analytical research test bed, called CLAW. 

 

Charles River will develop a Torpedo Self-defense Using Networked Automated Machine Intelligence system (TSUNAMI) to enhance the torpedo defense picture available to ship commanders. TSUNAMI improves this view and reduces the risks to friendly units by combining observations from multiple sensors in a Battle Group with own ship sensors to rapidly detect, classify and locate torpedo threats. TSUNAMI will generate torpedo threat alerts and optimize counter-fire in response to a torpedo attack. The threat alerts can trigger a response by self-defense systems such as the Torpedo Warning System (TWS), the U.S. Navy’s next-generation torpedo defense system.

 

The TWS can destroy inbound torpedo threats and will augment current passive counter-measures and anti-torpedo doctrine. One of the improvements that TWS program development intends to provide is a capability to develop responses against multiple torpedoes. This research is being performed under a second Charles River program funded by the Navy, the CLAW (CAT Learning Algorithm Workbench) effort. Charles River will apply recent developments in intelligent algorithms to existing simulations and models so investigators can identify the most promising design for the TWS.

 

“In general, TSUNAMI initially detects incoming torpedoes and generates alerts,” explained Joe Gorman, Division Software Engineer at Charles River. “CLAW then identifies suitable responses to the torpedoes in defense of protected ships.”