The use of vector sensors for underwater port and waterway security

The security of facilities on or near ports and waterways has become a matter of national security. The waterways and ports can be used by intruders to gain quick, close proximity access to a facility without alerting the on-site security force. Existing underwater sensors do not adequately meet the challenge of sensing the acoustical signals produced by a waterborne intruder due to the noisy nature of ports and waterways. This paper describes a new vector sensor developed for the Navy's towed array applications that meets the challenge by virtue of its directional capabilities.