AN/SSQ-101 Air
Deployable Active Receiver (ADAR)
Sonobuoy
The AN/SSQ-101 Air
Deployable Active Receiver (ADAR) sonobuoy is an A-size, expendable, non-repairable
sonobuoy. It is an acoustic data receiver capable of in-buoy beamforming and transmission of
received real-time acoustic signals back to any monitoring unit(s). The primary mission is to
receive active search signals (i.e., long-range echo detection of quiet, slow moving targets). The ADAR does not drive
technological breakthroughs, but does use existing hardware and processing technology.
The ADAR sonobuoy is an
expendable unit capable of receiving UHF downlink commands and sending real-time
beamformed acoustic data via a VHF digital uplink to the monitoring unit. The ADAR will be a
free-floating acoustic data receiver that will operate in conjunction with an acoustic source. The
buoy will also scuttle automatically upon detection of a low voltage state or completion of its six-hour
life.
The ADAR is expended by all compatible ASW aircraft or OTS by shipboard personnel and operated in conjunction with an independent transmitting acoustic source. The EFS selector is used to select depth (one of three) and the default acoustic beamform band (one of two). Once in the water the acoustic frequency band can be changed, the RF channel can be changed, and the RF can be turned on or off via downlink command function select. Once activated, the sonobuoy receives, beamforms, and transmits real-time acoustic data in the selected frequency band to the monitoring unit. The
separately deployed acoustic source will be commanded to "ping," ensonifying the water and any target present, generating an acoustic "return" that is received and transmitted by the ADAR receiver. Aboard the monitoring unit, the data is processed and displayed (visual and aural), providing the operator a means of determining range, bearing, amplitude and possibly Doppler (coherent acoustic sources only) on submarine targets.
Sources and Resources
http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ship/weaps/an-ssq-101.htm
Maintained by Robert Sherman
Originally created by John Pike
Updated Tuesday, December 29, 1998 5:20:30 AM