A Towed Vehicle System for Object Search and Identification

This paper describes the Surface Towed Search System, which has been produced for the United States Navy to permit rapid and effective location and optical examination of objects on the ocean floor. The system consists of an unmanned towed vehicle and shipboard equipment which incorporate recent developments in acoustic and optical sensors and in the processing, display and recording of sensor information. It also features a towing system which includes a unique method for the compensation of ship motions produced by ocean waves.