A wideband, high-resolution, low-probability-of-detection FFT beamformer

Navigation of an underwater minefield by a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) or an autonomous undersea vehicle (AUV) requires the detection, localization, and avoidance of obstacles. The sizes of obstacles to be avoided range from the diameter of cables up to the size of other vehicles. A classical solution to this problem is the use of an obstacle avoidance sonar, but due to the high degree of sophistication of modern-day mines and unfriendly vehicles, it is desirable to avoid signal energies that might be detectable. The use of spread-spectrum signal structures is one possible way to avoid this difficulty while retaining the capability of despreading the energy at the receiver. This paper presents the development of a beamforming system that uses a frequency-decomposition FFT beamformer and a spread-spectrum signal structure for low-probability-of-detection navigation