Applied Research in Acoustics LLC SBIR Phase I Award, April 2018

To address the Navy need for enhanced ambient-noise modeling for sonar-sensor performance estimation, sonar tactical decision aids (TDAs), and simulation-based training, ARiA will develop, demonstrate, and transition key building blocks for an enhanced multidimensional ambient-noise model (MDANM) needed to overcome the limitations of the current state of practice for noise modeling in sonar TDAs and trainers. The Phase I effort will (1) develop a framework for MDANM and analyze and specify sonar and other data requirements necessary to develop and support MDANM; (2) establish that MDANM can feasibly meet Navy needs by detailing the proposed techniques to be used to estimate key MDANM parameters and strategies for how the data required to estimate the parameters can be obtained operationally; and (3) establish that MDANM can be developed into a useful product for the Navy by identifying the architecture, protocols, and formats for MDANM interface with and output to the next-generation STDA and other sonar TDAs developed by Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division (NSWCCD) using the same common baseline.