Prelims: Current events of national and international importance| Science and Tech
Why in News?
India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has initiated indigenous UFOSS projects to strengthen underwater surveillance and maritime security.
- Underwater Fiber Optic Sensing System (UFOSS) – It is an advanced underwater surveillance technology that transforms subsea fiber-optic cables into extensive sensor networks.
- It is also known as the Fiber Optic Sensing System (FOSS).
- Technologies used – Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) and Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBGs).
- DAS converts the entire optical fiber into a continuous series of sensing points.
- It detects acoustic vibrations and seismic disturbances with exceptionally high spatial resolution—often at intervals of a few millimeters to centimeters.
- FBG sensors, on the other hand, measure localized changes in strain, pressure, and temperature by monitoring shifts in reflected wavelengths.
- The system is deployed through fixed seabed fiber-optic networks, functioning much like a biological nervous system that continuously transmits information from the ocean floor.
- Advantage – Unlike ships, aircraft, or sonobuoys, which provide surveillance only during operational deployments, UFOSS offers 24×7 persistent monitoring without interruption.
- This makes it particularly valuable for securing strategic maritime regions.
- Applications – Acoustic and hydrographic surveillance.
- It can detect and track low-frequency sounds generated by submarines, surface ships, underwater drones, and other marine activities.
- Such capabilities significantly enhance maritime domain awareness, anti-submarine warfare (ASW).
- Early warning against potential naval threats, particularly in strategically important areas such as the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
- It enables real-time monitoring of offshore oil and gas platforms, underwater pipelines, submarine communication cables, and offshore wind farms by detecting structural strain, leaks, or damage.
- The technology also contributes to environmental studies by monitoring oceanographic conditions, underwater earthquakes, and seismic activity, thereby supporting disaster preparedness and marine research.
Reference
The Indian Express| UFOSS
