Polyamp provides advanced degaussing systems (ADG) for naval surface and submarine vessels.
The company is also active in other underwater signature areas, offering multi-sensor signature measurement for ranging and surveillance. These include robust and highly sensitive magnetic, underwater electric potentials (UEP)/extremely low frequency electromagnetic (ELFE), pressure and acoustics sensors, as well as towable electromagnetic sweep systems for autonomous surface vessels (ASV) or remotely operated vehicles (ROV).
Polyamp’s services include installation, education, integrated logistics support (ILS) and repair, as well as design and measurement services using the SWECADE Magnetic Design, Prediction and Evaluation Software.
Advanced Degaussing Systems
Polyamp is a pioneer of degaussing systems and has distributed more than 60 ADG to navies around the world.
Deliveries include ADGs used in autonomous underwater vehicles (AUV), carriers and conventional submarines. The ADG design is built on fully computerised modules with fault tolerant distributed communication.
With a user-friendly multimedia interface (MMI), the fast-ranging process can be remotely controlled through a radio link. The compensation control modes use either magnetometer (single or multiple) or magnetic map, with input options including gyro, GPS, navigational computer or manual control.
On conventional submarines, the ADG is supplied directly from the submarine battery. Using a magnetometer as the main control input and in combination with a well-designed coil system, Polyamp’s ADGs achieve a low power design, which is essential for conventional submarines.
Underwater measurement systems
Polyamp’s Underwater Multi Influence Sensor System (UMISS) includes three-axis magnetic and three-axis electric (UEP/ELFE) field sensors along with pressure and optionally acoustic sensors.
This basic platform provides the single measurement POLYSERA system, which communicates using either Wifi or cable and fits into one Euro pallet for easy transportation and deployment.
Polyamp’s fast-deployable ranging system uses three UMISS platforms for active electromagnetic signature measurement of steel-hulled vessels. With three to 11 UMISS, magnetically more complex AUV, such as mine countermeasures vessels (MCMV), can be ranged in fixed ranges.
The Polyamp POEMS system can simulate underwater mines using different trigging criteria.
Underwater electric field sensors
With a carbon fibre sensor and high-performance amplifier and acquisition system, the Polyamp electric field sensor type PA3001 provides an alternative to conventional AgAgCl sensors.
The major advantages of the type PA3001 sensor are the low system noise, ability to be rapidly deployed and extremely long-life expectancy. Some Polyamp systems have been deployed with the same sensors for more than 15 years.
The sensor and electronics module is operational within 15 minutes of being in the water and fully functional within two hours. The chemically inert, carbon fibre sensor is salinity independent and highly reliable, with no required maintenance. Repeat deployment does not degrade the sensor, and it has no special storage requirements.
The measurement range of the Polyamp type PA3001 electric field sensor is from five mHz to more than three kHz
SWECADE software
Polyamp’s SWECADE software was designed to achieve sufficiently low magnetic signatures. It consists of several modules for magnetic design, prediction and degaussing evaluation and operates using a standard Windows system.
Originally known as the Swedish Computer Aided Degaussing and Evaluation programme, SWECADE consists of three parts:
- Ship Design – used to construct, predict and evaluate a degaussing coil system for different ships. Especially suitable for non-magnetic hulls for MCMV and ASV.
- Land Deperming component for the evaluation and tracing of MCMV and ASV/ROV.
- Sea Ranging Evaluation – used to measure and evaluate magnetic signatures at a sea range. At this stage the coils entered in Ship Design can be used on a ‘trial and error’ basis to minimise the magnetic signature.
Lightweight electromagnetic sweep
The Polyamp lightweight electromagnetic sweep system is able to fully simulate a true three-dimension DC magnetic signature with AC field features. It can simulate up to frigate-size vessels with and without ADG and UEP signatures.
The equipment, including a 20kVA to 30kVA supply generator, which can serve as a spare AC net generator set when not sweeping, fits into a standard 20ft container. An acoustic sounder can also be added to the system.