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Acoustic Devices News

09 Dec 2021

SEA-KIT to Expand Fleet with New 12m USV

Uncrewed surface vessel specialist SEA-KIT International has announced plans to build another of its X-class, 12m USVs as a fleet vessel for launch in 2022. This build, the sixth X-class to be constructed at the company’s Essex base, will pave the way for the company to meet increased market demand for unmanned vessels and to penetrate new sectors of the global maritime industry, the company said.SEA-KIT CEO, Ben Simpson, commented: “Our X-class USV has changed very little since we won the Shell Ocean Discovery XPRIZE with USV ‘Maxlimer’ back in 2015.

03 Jun 2019

Silicon Sensing Expands MEMS Foundry in Japan

Photo: Silicon Sensing Systems Ltd

Silicon Sensing Systems is to expand its MEMS foundry in Japan, moving into a new purpose-built facility, allowing the company to meet significantly increased demand for its MEMS inertial sensors and sputtered thin film PZT MEMS device wafers.The new facility will increase floorspace to 3,000m2, immediately more than doubling current wafer throughput and delivering scope for a five-fold increase in output over the next five years, in line with current market growth predictions.

28 Sep 2015

Keeping a Watchful Eye

In 2014, Forbes Associate Director for Maritime Services at Control Risks stated that maritime risks are on the rise. Mariners and ship owner/operators experienced a 26% spike in maritime piracy and armed robbery since 2014  and the North Sea Oil Industry admitted that it had been targeted and thwarted cyber attacks, attacks that if successful could have caused untold financial and logistical damage. •    Within the last decade, plans to attack a cruise ship in a major U.S. port were revealed. Maritime surveillance systems play a key role monitoring sea lanes and ports while supporting worldwide maritime safety and security. The ability to operate effectively and securely in any environment (air, land or sea) depends on an acute awareness and understanding of the surrounding elements.

04 Sep 2014

Raytheon Anschütz Bags SMARTBLUE Order

Example of a SMARTBLUE “Command and Control” display.

Raytheon Anschütz announced the recent contract award for its SMARTBLUE maritime situational awareness system on board two vessels being built in South Korea for a major oil and gas company. The two vessels will operate on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. For each vessel, Raytheon Anschütz will provide two 12ft X-band radars integrated with AIS to a SMARTBLUE sensor management pack. The pack will correlate the incoming data from the sensors and provide information locally through an operator workstation located in the vessel’s central control room.

29 Jul 2014

The Martitime Security Focus Is Shifting

Hans-Joachim Stricker

Former Vice-Admiral and Commander-in-chief of the German Navy Hans-Joachim Stricker, President of the German Maritime Institute (DMI), believes that in terms of security the industry is headed in the right direction. But challenges remain. Safety First: Shipping is no exception. Keeping people and property out of harm's way not only means complying with onboard technical safety regulations, training ship crews and providing rescue equipment. It also means addressing external threats from terrorism and piracy, which continue to be a major challenge for shipping.

28 Jul 2014

Raytheon Anschütz Debuts ShipGuard at SMM

ShipGuard (Image courtesy of Raytheon Anschütz)

In view of an increasing demand for security of merchant ships and maritime trade, Raytheon Anschütz, a German-based manufacturer of Integrated Bridge Systems, has developed shipborne security solution  ShipGuard. ShipGuard will be presented for the first time ever at SMM 2014 in Hamburg. ShipGuard efficiently integrates the vessels existing navigation systems such as AIS and radar with a suite of commercial surveillance cameras. ShipGuard is available as a stand-alone system…

30 Aug 2013

Marinelec Presents Phoenix Fire Detection Panel

Photo: Marinelec

Phoenix makes the addressable technology available to all ships and a safer solution as soon as you exceed ten detectors. Indeed, Marinelec has developed a single and compact panel, which, thanks to its function of networking up to four panels, can be installed on all types of vessels, from small units to complex units. In addition, the safety of the crew and the ship is enhanced with the decentralization of the detection panels. Discover Phoenix in preview at the Monaco Yacht Show from September 25-28 on Marinelec Technologies booth QS31, France SuperYacht Pavilion.

12 Oct 2010

Evaluating & Implementing Effective Anti-Piracy Technology & Technique

There is a new focus on technological solutions for ship self-defense against pirate attacks. Although some systems have been around a bit longer, the surge in new products is attributable largely to the dramatic increase in attacks on ships by Somali pirates over the last few years, the expanding areas of their attacks, and the worldwide attention these attacks have garnered. Suppliers have rushed to adapt existing products and develop new ones for the counter-piracy mission.

26 Jul 2010

NAVSEA Warfare Center Personnel Recognized

Four Naval Sea System Command (NAVSEA) warfare center scientists and engineers were among those recognized, July 23, at the annual Top Navy Scientists and Engineers of the Year award ceremony at the Pentagon. As NAVSEA field activities, Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) and Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) are the Navy's principal research, development, test and evaluation (RDT&E), analysis and assessment activities for ship and submarine platform, including machinery technology for surface combat systems, ordnance, mines, and strategic systems products and support. "Our men and women do some truly incredible, important work," said Vice Adm. Kevin McCoy, commander NAVSEA. The award was named in honor of Dr. Delores M.

11 Mar 2010

Deep-Sea Robot Lost at Sea

Photo courtesy Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

A deep-sea exploration robot — one of the first successful submersible vehicles that was both unmanned and untethered to surface ships — was lost at sea Friday, March 5, on a research expedition off the coast of Chile. The 15-year-old Autonomous Benthic Explorer, affectionately nicknamed ABE, was launched late on the night of Thursday, March 4, and had reached the seafloor to begin its 222nd research dive when, in the early hours of Friday morning, all contact with the surface vessel abruptly ceased. All efforts to reestablish contact failed.

21 Jan 2010

Safety Measures Protect Ship from Piracy

Jamaica-flagged M/V Miltiades came under attack and successfully deterred suspected pirates Jan. 17, while transiting approximately 130 nautical miles southwest of Al Mukalla, Yemen. The pirate skiff fired on the M/V with AK-47 rifles. The Miltiades embarked security team fired red flares and the ship took recommended evasive maneuvers to cause the skiff to break off the attack. No injuries or damages were reported aboard Miltiades. Early detection of suspected attacks is the first line of defense against piracy, but other practices include using flares, out running attackers or using heavy wheel movements, use of non-lethal devices, such as netting, water hoses, electric fencing, wire and long-range acoustic devices. These practices have proven effective at deterring piracy.

18 Nov 2009

Maersk Alabama Crew Repels Suspected Pirate Attack

MANAMA, Bahrain, Nov. 18, 2009 - The U.S.-flagged Maersk Alabama's security team repelled an attack from suspected pirates this morning 560 nautical miles off the northeastern coast of Somalia, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command officials reported. Four suspected pirates in a skiff came within 300 yards of the Maersk Alabama and used small-arms weapons in an attempt to board the ship.The ship's security team responded with evasive maneuvers, long-range acoustic devices and small-arms fire, causing the suspected pirates to break off their attack. The acoustic devices emit a high-pitched sound that can be painful to human ears. "Due to Maersk Alabama following maritime industry's best [anti-piracy] practices such as embarking security teams…

22 Sep 2009

MS&D 2009 Hamburg

The latest surveillance, defence and security equipment is presented by the 60 exhibitors at MS&D 2009, the international conference and exhibition on Maritime Security & Defence (MS&D), to be held at the Hamburg Fair site from 30 September to 2 October 2009. The exhibits include sophisticated optical and acoustic sensors, which have substantially improved the automated monitoring and control technology of security and defence equipment and systems. Thus the exhibiting companies, most of them from the exclusive circle of defence system manufacturers, are contributing to the protection of international shipping. A trend at MS&D 2009 is unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) which fly in fully automated mode and can be used for surveillance. The exhibits by Diehl BGT Defence GmbH & Co.

23 Jun 2009

Allianz Piracy Study

Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS), an insurer of ships and cargo, has released a study suggesting its clients adapt their approach to marine insurance as the threat of piracy off the Horn of Africa continues to grow. In addition, the study points out that crews entering dangerous waters must be prepared to handle an attack, and it calls for a more coordinated solution to the current wave of piracy. In a study entitled “Piracy: An ancient risk with modern faces,” AGCS suggests that special war insurance policies should be used to meet the needs of ships in high risk areas. AGCS also identifies a number of practical responses that crews can take when passing through piracy zones…

13 Apr 2009

LRAD Deployment Thwarts Pirate Attack

American Technology Corporation (ATC) (NASDAQ:ATCO), announced that its LRAD 1000X directed sound system was used by the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force to help prevent a pirate attack on a Singaporean tanker off the coast of Somalia on the weekend of April 4. Responding to a distress call from the tanker, a Japanese destroyer used LRAD’s powerful voice commands to identify itself and warn the pirates away. LRAD directed sound products and systems communicate from 300 meters to over 3,000 meters with authority and high intelligibility through vocal commands and powerful warning tones to influence behavior, gain compliance, and determine intent.

08 Sep 2008

Piracy and Armed Response on Ships

Merchant vessel Al Marjan was released from pirates off the Somali coast Dec. 2. Al Marjan had been under the control of Somalia-based pirates since Oct. 17. The U.S. Navy dock landing ship USS Whidbey Island (LSD 41) was on hand to assist the vessel and its crew following its release. The U.S. Navy has maintained a ship presence off the coast of Somalia since late October, where there have been six pirated vessels off the Somali coast in the last 30 days. The U.S.-led multinational maritime tas

Modern day piracy, it seems, is rather like plugging a badly leaking pipe with one finger — just when you think you might have stemmed the flow from one area, another jet of water shoots out to hit you in the face. Even if some long-term solution is reached on this front, a more sinister and sustained outbreak of piracy (and militancy) has once again arisen in Nigeria. Increased threats to the oil industry (including on ship and offshore rig personnel) from well organized and armed militant groups in the Niger Delta have become more and more prevalent…

08 Oct 2001

Rougeau Joins Reson

Al Rougeau joined Reson, Inc. in July as sales engineering manager of Reson's new Gulf Coast office near Lafayette, La. Rougeau has been active in the hydrographic industry for 23 years, involved in the engineering, sales, and marketing of underwater acoustic devices. He is credited with the development of the first digital echo sounder, the first 32 channel echo sounder, and the integration of the first shallow water multibeam survey system to operate in U.S. waters.

28 Jun 2007

NOAA Research Vessel Exceeds Standards as Quiet Vessel

The newly constructed National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration fishery survey vessel Henry B. Bigelow has exceeded international standards as an acoustically quiet vessel, according to a report released by the U.S. Navy. NOAA received the results from a battery of underwater acoustic tests done by the Navy on the ship at the Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Center on Andros Island in the Bahamas. “Henry B. Bigelow is one of only a handful of research ships in the world that have met this high standard as a quiet research vessel,” said retired Navy Vice Adm. Conrad C. Lautenbacher Jr., undersecretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. The noise radiated by the 208-ft.

22 Jan 2007

ManTech to Research Sonar Systems for the Navy

Employees of ManTech International of Fairfax begin work this month on a five-year, $49m Navy contract to research and test underwater sonar systems for identifying and tracking submarines and ships. ManTech expects to hire about 40 to 50 engineers, technicians, scientists and other workers globally under the contract with the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division, in Bethesda, said Kenneth J. Farquhar, president of ManTech Systems Engineering. Some of those workers will be based in Bethesda while others will be located in the District, in Florida and at Navy locations worldwide. ManTech had been doing similar work for the Navy under a previous contract that expired. The company has more than 6,000 employees and had 2005 revenue of $980.3 million.

22 Sep 2006

USS Bonhomme Richard Tests British Technology

BRITISH COLUMBIA, Canada (NNS) -- U.S. Navy Sailors and American and British contractors tested a new torpedo countermeasures system aboard USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) (BHR) Sept. 4-15, while underway off the Canadian Forces Maritime Experimental Test Range in Nanoose Bay. Ultra Electronics is the developer and deliverer of reactive torpedo countermeasure systems. Ultra developed the Surface Ship Torpedo Detection (SSTD) SEA SENTOR system, currently used by the British Royal Navy, and is developing the U.S. Navy’s Detection, Classification, and Localization (DCL) Torpedo Recognition by Active and Passive Reconnaissance (TRAPR) system. “This is a great benefit to the Navy.