Sentinel Diver Detection Sonar Completes US Navy Trials

Rob Balloch, strategic development director for Sonardyne thinks that exceeding the US Navy's requirements for diver detection is the finest accolade. He believes that by effectively monitoring the underwater domain, Sentinel can now close the gap that currently persists in so many security perimeters.

Sentinel is a third-generation sonar system designed specifically for underwater security. Compact and easily deployed, the Sentinel head is only 30cm in diameter, 40cm high and weighs less than 65lb (29kg). The 360° sonar can operate as a stand-alone portable system or has been designed to allow multiple heads to be networked together to provide a wide area domain awareness.

The first operational deployments of Sentinel are scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2008. Sonardyne now believes that the Sentinel specification is the first cost-effective solution that meets the growing need for underwater security in terms of size, performance and cost.

Based in Yateley, UK, Sonardyne International was founded in 1972 and has become a world leader in acoustic navigation, positioning and communication technology with many years experience of supplying advanced technology to the offshore and oceanographic and defence industries.