HUMSA-UG
The Indian Navy has taken a significant stride in enhancing its underwater surveillance capabilities with the development of four indigenous naval systems. These advanced systems, namely ABHAY, HUMSA UG, NACS, and AIDSS, are set to revolutionize the Indian Navy’s operations, enabling greater control over open seas beyond territorial waters. This article provides an overview of these systems, with a particular focus on HUMSA-UG, the upgraded version of the existing HUMSA SONAR system.
HUMSA-UG
Boosting Underwater Surveillance Capability
HUMSA-UG, one of the key components among the four indigenous naval systems, has been designed to significantly enhance the Indian Navy’s underwater surveillance capabilities. Serving as an upgraded version of the existing HUMSA SONAR system, HUMSA-UG will be installed on seven ships belonging to three different classes. This advancement allows for improved command and control over the vast open seas across the globe.
State-of-the-Art Hardware Architecture
HUMSA-UG’s hardware architecture is built upon state-of-the-art open architecture process technologies. This approach ensures seamless upgradability, enabling the system’s capabilities to evolve and adapt to emerging requirements. The open architecture design paves the way for future enhancements, ensuring that the Indian Navy remains at the forefront of underwater surveillance technology.
Other Indigenous Naval Systems
In addition to HUMSA-UG, the Indian Navy has developed three other advanced naval systems to augment its underwater surveillance capabilities.
ABHAY: Active-Cum-Passive Integrated SONAR System
ABHAY stands as an advanced Active-Cum-Passive integrated SONAR system, specially designed for smaller platforms like shallow water crafts and coastal surveillance/patrol vessels. This system empowers these vessels with enhanced sonar capabilities, enabling effective detection and tracking of underwater targets.
NACS: Naval Acoustic Characterization System
NACS plays a pivotal role in determining the in-situ performance of SONAR systems. It facilitates the measurement of frequency-dependent 3-D transmission and reception characteristics, as well as magnitude and phase characteristics of the SONAR transmission, reception electronics, and transducers. NACS aids in maintaining optimal functionality and performance of SONAR systems used by the Indian Navy.
AIDSS: Distress SONAR for Emergency Situations
AIDSS, an abbreviation for the Emergency Sound Signalling Device, serves as a distress SONAR system. Its primary purpose is to indicate when a submarine is in distress, enabling rapid rescue and salvage operations. This crucial system plays a vital role in ensuring the safety and security of naval assets and personnel.
