Anti-Submarine Warfare System
Submarine Detection and Monitoring
The Sonobuoy Dispensing System (SDS) and Sonobuoy Monitoring and Control System (SMCS) enable the first self-contained sonobuoy dispensing and monitoring capability for remotely piloted aircraft. Combined with the MQ-9B SeaGuardian’s® industry-leading endurance, these anti-submarine warfare systems enable persistent submarine tracking while SeaGuardian simultaneously scans the ocean’s surface for suspicious marine traffic. This capability was first demonstrated during the U.S. Navy’s 2021 Integrated Battle Problem, where SeaGuardian successfully deployed sonobuoys and detected and tracked multiple underwater targets. Integrated onto SeaGuardian, SDS and SMCS empower naval forces to continuously guard crucial waterways, shipping lanes, and chokepoints against the ever-increasing threat of submarines while maintaining a reduced personnel and asset footprint.
Key Benefits
- SDS carries and dispenses both “A”- and “G”- size sonobuoys
- SMCS receives and processes acoustic signatures transmitted by sonobuoys deployed below the ocean’s surface
- Acoustic processing software generates target tracks and calculates the speed, bearing, and depth
- System leverages tactical data links
Mission Sets
- Anti-submarine warfare
- Chokepoint monitoring
- Wide-area search
- Area of denial
Specs
Dimensions: 156” x 42” x 30” | 396.2 cm x 106.7 cm x 76.2 cmWeight: Empty: 275 lb | Full of Sonobuoys: Up to 794 lb
