Waterborne Threat Interdiction Utilizing Underwater Impulse Generation

 

Dr. Phil Womble with Western KY University is developing an acoustic impulse generator for interdicting hostile underwater intruders and disrupting underwater threats to ports and our naval assets.  The proposed acoustic generator launches a highly-collimated acoustic wave into the water with sufficient energy to deter or disable divers and destroy their underwater equipment from a great distance.  Security personnel can thereby respond to imminent threats over large volumes of open water with the speed of sound (~1500 meters per second in water).  The energy-level and waveform of the acoustic device can be adjusted over a wide range to provide a spectrum of deterrence and a tailored response to a variety of threat levels.

 

The Challenge

The task of assuring the security of our homeland involves protecting the citizens of the United States, the nation's critical infrastructure and key assets. This is necessary to sustain the nation's vitality against terrorism and other threats. This protection must originate at the community level. It requires discovering, developing and deploying new technology that will support first responders and key decision makers in local communities.

The Mission

NIHS' mission is to discover, develop and deploy solutions that protect and preserve the critical infrastructure of the nation's communities.

The Institute

NIHS aligns projects and research objectives with the needs and requirements of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The strategy is to manage a distributed research enterprise that effectively transitions research and development into solutions. NIHS works with DHS to determine technology needs at the community level. Then, teams are quickly assembled from multiple universities to develop solutions to the needs.

The Strategy

Through management of the Kentucky Critical Infrastructure Protections Program (KCI), the National Institute for Hometown Security (NIHS) provides an ongoing, integrated program dedicated to developing new technologies and devices. NIHS works through qualified academic institutions to accomplish the technological objectives.