A compact autonomous mooring buoy that can be equipped with a variety of sensor packages for military and scientific missions is being produced by Florida Atlantic University at Boca Raton, Fla., and Lockheed Martin Corp.
Among its many possible functions are submarine detection and location, weather and oceanographic measurement and communication and control of autonomous underwater vehicles.
Originally designed by university researchers and technicians from the Naval Sea Systems Command, the module can be deployed by aircraft, ships and submarines. It is capable of autonomous mooring in water depths of 30 to 650 feet and has much greater endurance than comparable systems.
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