News: India and the U.S. announced cooperation on co-production of U.S. sonobuoys for Undersea Domain Awareness (UDA) for the Indian Navy.
About Sonobuoys
- Sonobuoys are expendable, electro-mechanical acoustic devices used to detect underwater sounds, such as those made by submarines or ships.
- Working Mechanism:
- Sonobuoys are dropped from aircraft or ships in canisters and activate upon contact with water.
- An inflatable float with a radio transmitter remains on the surface for communication, while hydrophones descend to a predetermined depth to capture underwater acoustic signals.
- These signals are relayed via Very High Frequency (VHF) or Ultra High Frequency (UHF) communication to monitoring platforms.
- Sonobuoys operate in two modes:
- Passive Mode: These sonobuoys listen for underwater sounds without emitting any signals, providing stealthy detection.
- Active Mode: These sonobuoys send out sound waves and measure the echoes to locate submarines or other objects.
- Features:
- Versatility: Detects and tracks submarines in varied environments.
- Precision: Deployed in patterns to locate submarines accurately.
- Customizability: Adjustable depth and sensitivity.
- Interoperability: Compatible with naval aircraft like P-8 Poseidon and MH-60R helicopters.
- Applications:
- Primarily used for Anti-Submarine Warfare, sonobuoys are also deployed for environmental monitoring, marine life studies, and oceanographic research.
- They assist in understanding underwater conditions like water temperature, salinity, and ambient noise levels.
- Primarily used for Anti-Submarine Warfare, sonobuoys are also deployed for environmental monitoring, marine life studies, and oceanographic research.
