Environmental Data Collection from the AQS-20

Abstract : The Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) under the technical direction of SPAWAR PMW-155 and the sponsorship of the Oceanographer of the Navy, N096, examined the technical feasibility of extracting environmental data from the AQS-20 Mine Hunting Sonar towed from both the MH-60 helicopter and the AN/WLD- I Remote Mine Hunting System. Multibeam bathymetry and sediment information can be extracted from the AQS-20 and used in near real- time in tactical decision aids like the Mine Warfare Environmental Decision Aids Library (MEDAL). These conclusions are based on AQS-20 experiments conducted in June 1998, July 1999 and June 2001. This paper discusses the advantages of near real-time environmental data in MCM and describes a proposed Environmental Data Collection (EDC) Mode of operation for the AQS-20.