CONSTRUCTION AND METHOD FOR ELONGATED TOWED UNDERWATER SONAR

摘要

A construction and method of producing an elongated underwater acoustic array includes a plurality of interconnected hydrophones and circuit modules protected by a plastic foam cushioning sheath, covered with a tough, essentially acoustically transparent hose-like jacket and containing a plurality of aramid fiber ropes as strength members to carry the tensile loads on the array. An elongated tube-like fabric retaining member is interposed between the sheath and the exterior hose jacket which is longitudinally stitched to provide a plurality of spaced parallel tubes, each of which is of just sufficient diameter to contain one of said strength members. The strength members are terminated at a connector at each end of the array, and a spacer member is placed near each connector to spread the strength member ropes to the desired diameter. The spacer members and the adjacent ends of the retaining members are each cemented to the strength member ropes.