Canberra : India and Australia have undertaken the first science and technology project arrangement to improve the detection and tracking of submarines and autonomous underwater vehicles. The agreement is set to boost defence ties in the area of undersea surveillance technologies, Australia's Department of Defence said in a statement on Thursday.
As per the Department of Defence, the agreement outlines a three-year joint research project between Australia's Defence Science and Technology Group's (DSTG) Information Sciences Division and India's Defence Research and Development Organisation's (DRDO) Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory.
The DSTG is Australian government's leading agency employing one of the largest number of scientists and engineers who deliver advice, innovative solutions on matters of Defence science and technology.
The Department of Defence noted that the leading-edge research would explore the use of Towed Array Target Motion Analysis technology so as to improve the reliability, efficiency and interoperability of current surveillance capabilities.
Discipline Leader in DSTG's Information Sciences Division, Amanda Bessell, said that Target Motion Analysis was a collective term for target tracking algorithms, developed to estimate the state of a moving target.
"Target Motion Analysis is the crucial element in maintaining platform situational awareness, when a passive mode of operation is required," Ms Bessell said as quoted by the Department of Defence.
The research project, therefore is unique in the way as it utilises a towed array-based signal processing system. DSTG Senior Researcher, Sanjeev Arulampalam, explained a towed array consisted of a long linear array of hydrophones, towed behind a submarine or surface ship on a flexible cable.
'We need to harness the best minds in innovation, science and technology to build new capabilities, to innovate at greater pace, and to strengthen our strategic partnerships.The hydrophones work together to listen to the undersea environment from various directions," Dr Arulampalam said as cited by the Department of Defence.
"The sound signal is passed through a signal processor, which analyses, filters and detects underwater acoustic signals emitted from maritime targets." The combination of the Target Motion Analysis with the towed array system is intended to manage noise corruption and explore possible performance improvements.
This joint project between India and Australia would see novel algorithms put totest, using the strengths and shared knowledge of the two countries. "The project arrangement will involve the sharing of ideas, investigation trials, algorithm demonstrations and performance analysis," Dr Arulampalam said.
As the scope of underwater battlespace changes and is seeing an increased use of autonomous vehicles, improving surveillance capabilities is a priority. "The output of this research program has the potential to guide the development of future algorithmic directions for our undersea combat system surveillance technologies," Chief Information Sciences Division, Suneel Randhawa, said.
The Department of Defence underscored that harnessing international partnerships enables access to a greater range of expertise, infrastructure and technical data to help address mutual problems and deliver innovative technologies.
"We need to harness the best minds in innovation, science and technology to build new capabilities, to innovate at a greater pace, and to strengthen our strategic partnerships," Randhawa said.
The project is the latest milestone in increasing maritime domain awareness cooperation between Australia and India. Notably, the announcement by Australia's Department of Defence comes after External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar met his Australian Counterpart, Penny Wong, on the sidelines of the QUAD Foreign Ministers' Meeting, which took place in the US earlier this week.
EAM Jaishankar, in his remarks underscored that their meeting also marked the 5th anniversary of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership of India and Australia. Previously in Rajya Sabha, MoS External Affairs Pabitra Margherita had noted that Australia is the only country with which India has three unique frameworks namely-- Annual Leaders' Summit, 2+2 Foreign and Defence Ministerial Dialogue and Foreign Ministers' Framework Dialogue.