General Dynamics Canada has developed what it calls the next-generation of airborne acoustic processing systems, the UYS-505 system, also known as VENOM.
Built specifically for fixed and rotary-wing applications, it leverages advances in commercial hardware and innovations in signal processing technologies to maximize the detection of submerged threats in deep and coastal waters. In line with the development of many applications, the system has been engineered to reduce operator workload and alleviate size, weight, and power concerns in the cramped cabins of modern military aircraft.
“Airborne acoustic processing has become more complex. Additionally, many of the legacy solutions that are still used on fixed and rotary-wing aircraft were designed 15 to 20 years ago and lag current technology,” said David Ibbetson, general manager of General Dynamics Canada, in a press release. “The new VENOM system processes and presents large volumes of information in an easily accessible and digestible manner. It allows operators to find a target quickly and hold onto it for as long as necessary. Plus it is considerably smaller and lighter than current systems, which eliminates the need for large, bulky processors and their accompanying hardware and harnesses.”
GD Canad has been developing advanced acoustic processing systems for military organizations for over 40 years, and has leveraged that knowledge into VENOM. The system is engineered for passive and active signal processing operations. It can process signals from up to 64 deployed sonobuoys, and features embedded control for dipping sonar systems. It also includes GD Canada’s computerized underwater detection assistant (CUDA), an application designed to automatically assess the tactical picture in noisy littoral regions without operator intervention.