SBIR/STTR Award attributes
Dynovas’ Composite Submersible Patterned Indexing Datum for Radar and Sonar (C-SPIDRS, pronounced Sea-SPIDRS) provides a radical new set of tactical and reconnaissance capabilities designed to augment the Warfighter and additionally expand the horizons for both the oceanography and oil exploration industries. Development of the C-SPIDRS technology will be executed by a team possessing heritage in high-performance marine structures, advanced composites, deployable aerospace technologies, and across all aspects of engineering related design, manufacturing, analysis, and testing. Dynovas is collaborating with Lockheed Martin’s Rotary and Mission Systems (LM RMS) business division to solidify a team that encompasses additional areas of expertise in submarine and surface ship sonar systems, marine sensor arrays, collapsible engineering solutions, as well as the development, testing, and integration of sonobuoys. C-SPIDRS is a disruptive approach aimed to provide a low-cost, lightweight, and scalable technology platform for passive and active sonar systems through leveraging highly tailorable bi-stable composite laminate booms that automatically facilitate deployment of large volumetric arrays through controlled release of built-in residual material strains. The inherent mechanical performance and unique structural attributes of this class of composite laminate provides a method of simple, repeatable, and controlled passive deployment of large high-sensor-density arrays possessing high packaging and weight efficiencies. The “over-sampled” C-SPIDRS deployable sonar array allows for an increase in gain, increased flexibility in controlling array sidelobes, as well as increase adaptability and performance across operating bands. Dynovas’ novel bi-stable laminate approach to large, high-gain, multidimensional, multi-element arrays provide a configurable tool set to meet the Warfighter’s next generation technology needs. Phase I of the program will culminate with the development of component proof-of-concept (PoC) and demonstration of the novel C-SPIDRS hardware feasibility in addition to a comprehensive design and assessment package that will lay the foundation for success of the technology development efforts across successive program phases. This design and assessment package will include a summary of the work accomplished over the Phase I program, with specific details detailing the expected performance metrics of the C-SPIDRS system, identified technological / reliability challenges, and their respective risk mitigation strategies. The Phase I Option shall conclude with an advanced proof-of-concept components and detailed C-SPIDRS alpha prototype plans to be developed in Phase II.
