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News: DRDO has invited industry partners to develop and deploy the Underwater Fiber Optic Sensing System (UFOSS) for continuous submarine surveillance.
About Underwater Fiber Optic Sensing System (UFOSS)
- Underwater Fiber Optic Sensing System (UFOSS): It is a fixed network of undersea sensors that provides round-the-clock monitoring of underwater submarine activity.
- Developed by: It is being developed by the Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL), the Defence Research and Development Organisation’s (DRDO) premier underwater warfare laboratory.
- Objective: The system aims to strengthen underwater surveillance by continuously detecting submarine activity and supporting the Navy’s anti-submarine warfare network.
- Working Mechanism:
- Seabed Sensor Network: The system uses seabed sensor array nodes connected through subsea fibre-optic cables to collect underwater data.
- Data Transmission: The collected data is transmitted through a beach manhole to a shore station, where it is received, monitored, and analysed.
- Continuous Monitoring: Unlike ships and aircraft that patrol only periodically, the system continuously monitors underwater activity and guides anti-submarine warfare assets towards potential contacts.
- Key Features:
- Robust Underwater Design: The system uses durable underwater components, including sensor array nodes, junction boxes, and branching units, which are designed to withstand high pressure and seawater corrosion.
- Specialised Cable Deployment: The fibre-optic network will be deployed using Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs)and cable burial ploughs, along with dedicated cable-laying ships, to install and protect the undersea infrastructure.
- Long Operational Life: The system is designed to operate continuously for 20 years by using reliable underwater components that can function without routine maintenance.
- Consortium-Based Development: The project allows the lead system integrator to partner with up to five specialised engineering firms so that expertise in subsea cable manufacturing, marine surveys, and system integration can be brought together.
