{"id":37217,"date":"2024-05-17T10:42:14","date_gmt":"2024-05-17T10:42:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/uncategorized\/2024\/05\/17\/france-turns-to-ai-for-signals-analysis-in-underwater-acoustics-war\/"},"modified":"2026-08-18T20:56:31","modified_gmt":"2026-08-18T20:56:31","slug":"france-turns-to-ai-for-signals-analysis-in-underwater-acoustics-war","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/artificial-intelligence\/2024\/05\/17\/france-turns-to-ai-for-signals-analysis-in-underwater-acoustics-war\/","title":{"rendered":"France turns to AI for signals analysis in underwater acoustics war"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

PARIS \u2014 The French Navy is turning to artificial intelligence to help its submariners detect enemy vessels in a growing sea of underwater<\/a> sounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Navy\u2019s acoustic recognition and interpretation center CIRA in Toulon is working with French startup Preligens on AI-powered analysis of underwater acoustic signals, the center\u2019s head, Vincent Magnan, said in a presentation here Thursday. France expects to test the technology onboard its submarines by the end of the year, with operational deployment scheduled for 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As France equips more and more vessels with increasingly powerful passive acoustic sensors, the amount of data collected for analysis is growing exponentially. The Navy is counting on AI to help its acoustics analysts, nicknamed \u201cgolden ears,\u201d cut through the noise, both at the Toulon center and on board its submarines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More sensors and greater detection ranges will result in \u201ca massive flow of data,\u201d Magnan said. \u201cTo be able to analyze all this data, and especially to be able to isolate from it the useful and decisive information for the conduct of our combat operations, we need to resort to technological innovations, including artificial intelligence.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to submarines, frigates and aircraft fitted with passive sensors, the near future will bring drones and underwater gliders that capture acoustic data, according to Magnan. The amount of such data gathered by CIRA has increased to around 10 terabytes in 2024 from 1 terabyte in 2020, and is expected to approach 100 terabytes or more by 2030.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interest in \u201cpassive acoustic warfare\u201d is growing because it allows surface vessels and submarines to detect underwater sounds during operations at sea and derive tactical elements in \u201call discretion,\u201d without an adversary knowing about it, Magnan said. A particular propulsion pattern might allow the Navy to define a target\u2019s speed, which can then in turn determine a tactical maneuver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Toulon center is using AI to filter out those acoustic signals of interest, after which humans can carry out high-value added analysis. The goal will be broadly similar at sea, with AI allowing human operators to focus on the useful signals.<\/p>\n\n\n\t