MARLBOROUGH, Mass.: Raytheon Company demonstrated the ability to communicate in real time with a submerged submarine at classified speeds and depths.
This capability, which addresses one of the most significant shortfalls in submarine communications, was exhibited for the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy during an at-sea trial of Raytheon’s Deep Siren Tactical Paging (DSTP) system.
The U.K. Ministry of Defence reported that Deep Siren demonstrated “the first step toward a transformational capability that will change the way we operate submarines in the future.”
The evaluation, which took place during the U.K. Royal Navy’s TAURUS 09 deployment, follows U.S. Navy testing conducted in 2008 that culminated with a successful military utility assessment.
Raytheon is also currently working on airborne certification of Deep Siren, which will allow the system’s buoys to be deployed via aircraft.
“The Deep Siren system is a vital command and control communications link that provides never-before available capability,” said Jerry Powlen, vice president, Network Centric Systems Integrated Communications Systems. “This system once again demonstrated its utility and reliability, proving that we are ready to move forward with production.”
The trial validated that DSTP system buoys can be used to communicate with submarines at underwater ranges significantly greater than 100 nautical (115 statute) miles. It also demonstrated that Deep Siren can significantly accelerate the process to communicate with a submarine by passing tactical messages between a commander and submarine in real time. The U.K. Royal Navy used Deep Siren to share contact information with a submarine, providing positions for both friendly and enemy forces.
Raytheon’s partners on the DSTP system are RRK Technologies, Ltd. and Ultra Electronics Maritime Systems.
Raytheon Company, with 2008 sales of $23.2 billion, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, homeland security and other government markets throughout the world. With headquarters in Waltham, Mass., Raytheon employs 73,000 people worldwide.
Background Information
TAURUS 09 is a routine deployment of the Royal Navy’s Amphibious Task Group. Raytheon’s Deep Siren system employs expendable buoys that, when contacted through the Iridium satellite network, enable long-range underwater communications using acoustic signals.
