Officials of the Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Keyport in Keyport, Washington, announced a $42.1 million contract with Ultra Electronics to build its Acoustic Device Countermeasure (ADC) MK 2 torpedo decoy for surface warships.
The ADC MK 2 is a battery-powered expendable sonar countermeasure for use by surface ships and submarines to counter torpedo threats. When deployed, it hovers vertically at a pre-selected depth using a pressure-controlled motor driving a small shrouded propeller in the tail of the decoy, and emits an acoustic signal to spoof incoming torpedoes.
Source: Ultra Electronics
The system essentially uses sound to divert or confuse homing torpedoes to help naval forces create a multilayer defensive screen. The ADC MK 2 is part of an integrated sense-to-effect solution that helps surface ships survive torpedo attacks.
The system employs advanced acoustic processing techniques to detect and classify torpedo threats with a very low false alert rate and high probability of correct classification.
The technology is expected to be finished by July 2027.