Acoustic Systems News

Export Control Lists Include Key Marine Tech Categories  Each year, the U.S. Department of Commerce receives thousands of inquiries from businesses looking to export, many of which involve licensing questions. The Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), together with other USG agencies, is responsible for export licensing and controls. BIS export licenses may be required for items (commodities, software, or technology) with proliferation, military, or terrorist uses, or which warrant control for other reasons.

Each year, the U.S. Department of Commerce receives thousands of inquiries from businesses looking to export, many of which involve licensing questions. The Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), together with other USG agencies, is responsible for export licensing and controls. BIS export licenses may be required for items (commodities, software, or technology) with proliferation, military, or terrorist uses, or which warrant control for other reasons. Export licensing requirements can apply to a wide array of products, including marine technologies.

Kongsberg Maritime Inc., the North American division of Norway headquartered marine and offshore technology company Kongsberg Maritime, and Houston headquartered Stress Engineering Services (SES) have formed a strategic alliance to better serve existing and new clients with cost effective engineering services and fully integrated technical solutions within offshore drilling and floating production systems. By combining Stress Engineering Services’ wide-ranging engineering expertise…

Press release- The Sea Machines V2 is a heavy-duty autonomus workboat built for offshore and nearshore operations. The semi-displacement hull provides open-ocean stability for surveying or USBL communications and the powerful propulsion system delivers more than 20 knots and 3 tons bollard pull when needed. With a pilot house and helm, the V2 is designed for operators who desire an autonomous vessel that can also be manually-driven as a conventional boat. The V2 is outfitted with our ACS control system which allows operation of the vessel in three primary gradations of autonomy…

Conventional surveillance technologies cannot easily help to detect fast boats, which generally have small radar signatures and do not carry automatic identification systems (AIS). For this reason, the NATO STO CMRE (Center for Maritime Research and Experimentation) has addressed this problem along with other project partners, as part of the European project PERSEUS. The PERSEUS project (Protection of European BoRders and Seas through the IntElligent Use of Surveillance), coordinated by Spanish technological company Indra…

Harris Corp received a $15 million, 4 year follow-on contract to provide acoustic sensors for installation on the U.S. Navy’s Virginia-class submarines. The sensors are designed to facilitate data sharing between the LWWAA system and the submarine’s combat platform for monitoring of ships and other vessels. Jim Brunelle, director of undersea systems business at Harris, said the 10 new systems will accompany the 18 acoustic assemblies Harris has already delivered to the Navy for use on its submarines. "These latest systems will join the 18 ship sets the company has already supplied for the Navy's newest and most capable submarines," said Jim Brunelle, director, Harris Undersea Systems business.

A U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon patrol aircraft completed its transition from Kuala Lumpur to Perth March 18 to continue the search for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 in the southern Indian Ocean. "The search has expanded to the southern portions of the Indian Ocean and the P-8A has the range required to reach those waters," said Lt. Clayton Hunt of Patrol Squadron (VP) 16, the search and rescue detachment mission commander. For a mission such as the MH370 search, the P-8 will typically fly at 5,000 feet, dipping to 1,000 feet to get a closer visual look at objects.

In the very near future, the new scientific Research Vessel Investigator will enter service for the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), an agency of the Federal Government of Australia. Investigator went to sea for her initial sea trials in December 2013. Once deployed, Investigator will be among the quietest and most capable research vessels in the world, serving multiple, diverse scientific roles in a geographical areas spanning one-third the circumference of the globe.

At the end of 2013, the team of Sembawang Shipyard of Singapore and Teekay Shipping Australia will hand over the new scientific Research Vessel Investigator to her owners, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), an agency of the Federal Government of Australia. The Investigator will be among the most capable and quietest non-naval research vessels in the world. It will serve Australia in diverse scientific operations ranging over an area from the equator to the ice shelf of Antarctica and spanning almost 1/3rd of the circumference of the globe.

Finnish survey company FCG (Finnish Consulting Group) Ltd. has placed an order for a new GRP survey boat from Blyth Workcats Ltd of Canvey Island, U.K. The 14-meter catamaran will be known as the Nordic Sonar and it is now being built to meet the specialized needs of the FCG survey teams. It will be based in Turku, Finland and is being fitted with comprehensive heating system and insulation suitable for its use in the demanding conditions around the Finnish coast and the northern Baltic.

Heeding the call to join “An Ocean in Common,” authors flooded the Oceans ‘13 MTS/IEEE San Diego technical program committee with a record number of abstracts in a single day. Special topics include an Ultra-deep track discussing current and prospective robotic technologies, plus a panel of scientists to consider research questions. Oceans2013 Chair Bob Wernli, and Co-Chair Kevin Hardy, developer of the unmanned landers for James Cameron’s DeepSea Challenge Expedition, will be the session conveners. “James’ intention is to be certain the door remains open to other explorers,” Hardy said.

Nautronix has been awarded another contract to supply NASDrill RS925 deepwater acoustic positioning system, for Rowan’s third new ultra-deepwater drillship. The vessel will be constructed at Hyundai Heavy Industries shipyard in Ulsan, Korea and will be based on a Hyundai Gusto P1000 design. The vessel will be completed in the fourth quarter of 2014. Nautronix received this order through a well known Norwegian DP Supplier who is supplying their Dynamic Positioning (DP) System on the vessel. This is the third order that Nautronix have received for the Rowan fleet; for their NASDrill RS925 system, following on from vessels one and two.

Nautronix will supply their NASDrill RS925 Positioning System to Rowan’s new Ultra-Deepwater Drillships. Nautronix have been awarded a contract to supply NASDrill RS925 deepwater acoustic positioning system for Rowan’s new ultra-deepwater drillships. The vessels will be constructed at Hyundai Heavy Industries shipyard in Ulsan, Korea and are based on a Hyundai Gusto P1000 design. The first vessel will be completed in the fourth quarter of 2013, with the second one estimated to be completed in 2014. Nautronix received orders for their NASDrill RS925 systems through a well known Norwegian DP Supplier who will supply their Dynamic Positioning (DP) System for these vessels.

Northrop Grumman (NYSE:NOC) won a follow-on and additional task order contracts totaling $69m from the U.S. Navy's Office of Naval Research (ONR) for the Navy's Integrated Topside (InTop) program. InTop is an innovative, scalable suite of electronic warfare, information operations and line-of-sight communications hardware and software for use on naval surface platforms. The new suite will reduce the number of multiple topside apertures that naval vessels currently use, increasing bandwidth and resolving electromagnetic interference and compatibility issues caused by the large number of antennas on modern ships. The $66 million option award on the first contract funds the continued development…

Capt. Todd W. Cramer relieved Capt. Michael W. Byman as Commander, Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Newport, July 16, in a ceremony at the warfare center. Rear Adm. Thomas Wears. Commander, Naval Undersea Warfare Center was the guest speaker. "Captain Byman fostered an environment that valued uniqueness and diverse perspectives" said Wears. Byman, who has served as Commander of NUWC Newport since Aug. 2005, will report to the Navy's Submarine Acoustic Systems Program Office (PMS 401) in Washington D.C. He holds the distinction for serving as Commander of NUWC Newport for the longest period in the command's 141 year history. "NUWC's technical capabilities derive from the combination of the talent…

Lockheed Martin to manufacture key elements of the Lightweight Wide Aperture Array (LWWAA) fiber-optic acoustic sensor systems for the fifth and sixth Virginia-class submarines, SSN 778 and 779. sensor input to the submarine's combat system. water into information that can be used to identify and track it. general manager of Northrop Grumman's Navigation Systems Division.

Marine science is making great strides forward due in large measure to several new vessels that have delivered recently and others under construction Headlining this news is the Oscar Dyson, the first of four vessels loaded with scientific gear that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is having built at VT Halter Marine, Pascagoula, Miss. The first vessel was completed in September of 2004 and as the Oscar Dyson was being completed, the contract for the second vessel, Henry B. Bigelow was announced. These 208-ft. by 49-ft. vessels have cutting edge capabilities to gather scientific information on fish populations and the water quality of their habitat.