Navy Conducting Sonar Studies

24 April 2014

The objective of the project is to absorb the sonar technology (operation and maintenance) in preparation for the development of a morecomplex system (photo : Brunei Mindef)

With sonar playing an invaluable role in maritime defense, the Naval Research and Development Center (NRDC) announced that it is conducting its own sonar studies with the goal of developing indigenous ones for the country.

Lt. Cmdr. Gregory Fabic, Philippine Navy spokesperson, said that this is under the NRDC’s Project “Ilalim” (Filipino for under).

“Project ‘Ilalim’ involves the study of sonar systems of platforms included in Defense Acquisition System projects (ex. Frigate and others),” he added.

The objective is to absorb the sonar technology (operation and maintenance) in preparation for the development of a morecomplex type of fixed or mobile underwater monitoring system thru re-engineering, Fabic pointed out.

Sonar (originally an acronym for Sound Navigation And Ranging) is a technique that uses sound propagation (usually underwater, as in submarine navigation) to navigate, communicate with or detect objects on or under the surface of the water, such as other vessels.

Two types of technology share the name “sonar”: passive sonar is essentially listening for the sound made by vessels; active sonar is emitting pulses of sounds and listening for echoes.

Sonar may be used as a means of acoustic location and of measurement of the echo characteristics of “targets” in the water. 

(The Manila Times)