ONR sensor and software suite hunts down more than 600 suspect boats

Rough Rhino finds targets during recent African Maritime Law Enforcement Partnership operation

2012-07-11

(Press-News.org) ARLINGTON, Va.—A new sensor and software suite sponsored by the Office of Naval Research (ONR) recently returned from West Africa after helping partner nations track and identify target vessels of interest as part of an international maritime security operation, officials announced July 10.

Researchers deployed the system, called "Rough Rhino," aboard U.S. aircraft, ships and partner nation ships operating in waters off the coast of Senegal and Cape Verde. Sailors and Coast Guardsmen could access and control the sensors both afloat and ashore, as well as share information in a real-time common operating picture.

"It provides a comprehensive maritime domain awareness picture for dark, gray and light targets—vessels that range from no electronic emissions to those that cooperatively report their name and positions, said Dr. Michael Pollock, ONR's division director for electronics, sensors and networks.

Rough Rhino was responsible for finding targets during the most recent two-week African Maritime Law Enforcement Partnership (AMLEP) operation. The primary missions are aimed at assisting and building the host nation's capability to interdict and counter narcotics, human trafficking and illegal fishing.

On any given day, the distributed intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) system tracked more than 600 targets, identified vessels of interest and culminated in 24 boardings by Gambian, Senegalese and U.S. maritime security teams. For future operations, Gambia and Senegal will continue to work with African partner nations to build and maintain maritime security and safety.

"Rough Rhino provided them one of the clearest maritime operational pictures that they've ever seen," said Pollock. "They could detect, locate, quantify and confirm detailed activities of all vessels in their respective countries' exclusive economic zones."

AMLEP provided an opportunity to test the prototype Rough Rhino system in an operationally and tactically relevant environment, allowing designers and developers to see firsthand where the system needs improvement. The system includes: radar, optics, electronic surveillance and integrated software modified and developed by ONR contractors and the Naval Research Laboratory. The system was installed on the Naval Research Laboratory's VXS-1 P-3, USS Simpson and Senegalese ships SNS Poponguine and SNS Djiffere.

"The unique aspect to this project is how the research directly supports an ongoing operation and how we can immediately ingest operator feedback" said Pollock. He added that the software is constantly rewritten annually from the ground up to keep up with changing technology, sensor improvements, and fleet and operator needs.

To date, the system has participated in five major operations, including AMLEP 2011 and 2012. Participants particularly liked the system's ease of use, requiring little training, and clarity, as well as its information storage and retrieval abilities, which can be used to support after-action reviews and legal prosecutions.

AMLEP is a joint mission conducted by the U.S. Africa Command, U.S. Naval Forces Africa, U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area and multiple West African navies and coast guards. AMLEP is the operational portion of the Africa Partnership Station (APS) initiative in which African navies employ their professional skill, knowledge and experience to combat crime at sea.

Since 2007, the U.S. Navy has worked alongside African partner navies and coast guards through a series of APS training events and regional exercises to improve maritime safety and security. Additionally, operations such as AMLEP provide participants with numerous opportunities to operate together and develop productive relationships through real-world situations.

INFORMATION:

About the Office of Naval Research

The Department of the Navy's Office of Naval Research (ONR) provides the science and technology necessary to maintain the Navy and Marine Corps' technological advantage. Through its affiliates, ONR is a leader in science and technology with engagement in 50 states, 30 countries, 1,035 institutions of higher learning and more than 900 industry partners. ONR employs approximately 1,065 people, comprising uniformed, civilian and contract personnel, with additional employees at the Naval Research Lab in Washington, D.C.

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Ordinary chickens may be extraordinary in fighting cancer, says Texas A&M researcher

2012-07-11

COLLEGE STATION, July 10, 2012 – The common barnyard chicken could provide some very un-common clues for fighting off diseases and might even offer new ways to attack cancer, according to a team of international researchers that includes a Texas A&M University professor. James Womack, Distinguished Professor of Veterinary Pathobiology in the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, is co-author of a paper detailing the team's work that appears in the current issue of PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences). Womack was a leader in the international ...

UC Davis study finds stray-bullet shootings frequently harm women and children

2012-07-11

(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) — Most people killed or wounded in stray-bullet shootings were unaware of events leading to the gunfire that caused their injuries, and nearly one-third of the victims were children and nearly half were female, according to a new nationwide study examining an often-overlooked form of gun violence. The study by Garen Wintemute, professor of emergency medicine and director of the Violence Prevention Research Program at UC Davis School of Medicine and Medical Center, examines mortality rates and other epidemiological aspects of stray-bullet shootings ...

Grassroots approach to conservation developed

2012-07-11

URBANA – A new strategy to manage invasive species and achieve broader conservation goals is being tested in the Grand River Grasslands, an area within the North American tallgrass prairie ecoregion. A University of Illinois researcher along with his colleagues at Iowa State and Oklahoma State Universities enlisted private landowners in a grassroots community-building effort to establish a more diverse landscape for native wildlife. The Grand River Grasslands has three main problems that pose challenges to conservation efforts: invasive juniper trees, tall fescue, and ...

Study reveals new mechanism that might promote cancer's growth and spread in the body

2012-07-11

Researchers have discovered a previously unknown mechanism that promotes the growth and spread of cancer. The mechanism involves a new role for small regulatory molecules called microRNA. The findings suggest a new strategy for treating cancer and perhaps diseases of the immune system. COLUMBUS, Ohio – Tiny vesicles released by tumors cells are taken up by healthy immune cells, causing the immune cells to discharge chemicals that foster cancer-cell growth and spread, according to a study by researchers at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur ...

Hubble unmasks ghost galaxies

2012-07-11

Astronomers have puzzled over why some puny, extremely faint dwarf galaxies spotted in our Milky Way galaxy's back yard contain so few stars. These ghost-like galaxies are thought to be some of the tiniest, oldest, and most pristine galaxies in the universe. They have been discovered over the past decade by astronomers using automated computer techniques to search through the images of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. But astronomers needed NASA's Hubble Space Telescope to help solve the mystery of these star-starved galaxies. Hubble views of three of the small-fry galaxies ...

NASA gets a cold stare from Emilia's eye

2012-07-11

NASA's Aqua satellite got a cold stare from Emilia. Infrared satellite data revealed that cloud top temperatures around Hurricane Emilia's eye were bitter cold. The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument that flies onboard NASA's Aqua satellite measured cloud top temperatures in the powerful thunderstorms surrounding Emilia's eye to be colder than -94 Fahrenheit (-70 Celsius). That indicates that they're very high in the troposphere, and very powerful (which would coincide with Emilia being a major hurricane). NASA's Terra satellite captured a visible image ...

Satellite sees 2 tropical cyclones chase Tropical Storm Daniel

2012-07-11

A panoramic satellite image shows an active eastern Pacific Ocean with three tropical systems that appear to be chasing each other. Tropical Storm Daniel approaching the central Pacific Ocean, with major Hurricane Emilia further east, and a developing low pressure area east of Emilia. In an image captured by NOAA's GOES-15 satellite, all three tropical cyclones were seen spinning in the eastern Pacific Ocean on July 10, 2012 at 1200 UTC (8 a.m. EDT).Daniel has weakened from a hurricane to a tropical storm and appears smaller than Hurricane Emilia. Daniel is about 180 ...

Ferroelectricity on the nanoscale

2012-07-11

Promising news for those who relish the prospects of a one-inch chip storing multiple terabytes of data, some clarity has been brought to the here-to-fore confusing physics of ferroelectric nanomaterials. A multi-institutional team of researchers, led by scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)'s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) has provided the first atomic-scale insights into the ferroelectric properties of nanocrystals. This information will be critical for development of the next generation of nonvolatile data storage devices. Working ...

UI researchers develop technique to help pollution forecasters see past clouds

2012-07-11

Until now, scientists who study air pollution using satellite imagery have been limited by weather. Clouds, in particular, provide much less information than a sunny day. However, University of Iowa scientists have created a technique to help satellites "see" through the clouds and better estimate the concentration of pollutants, such as soot. The finding is important, because, like GPS systems, clouds block remote-sensing satellites' ability to detect, and thus calculate, the concentration of pollution nearer to the ground. This includes particles (commonly known as ...

Hormone-mimicking chemicals cause inter-species mating

2012-07-11

Hormone-mimicking chemicals released into rivers have been found to impact the mating choices of fish, a new study has revealed. The controversial chemical BPA, which emits oestrogen-like properties, was found to alter an individual's appearance and behavior, leading to inter-species breeding. The study, published in Evolutionary Applications, reveals the threat to biodiversity when the boundaries between species are blurred. The research, led by Dr Jessica Ward from the University of Minnesota, focused on the impact of Bisphenol A (BPA) on Blacktail Shiner (Cyprinella ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Henna’s hidden healing: Treating fibrosis with a chemical derived from Lawsonia inermis

KIST demonstrates world's first ultra-precise, ultra-high-resolution distributed quantum sensor with 'entangled light'

Liver transplantation utilizing grafts donated after medical assistance in dying is feasible and has outcomes comparable to standard donation

New drug-eluting balloon may be as safe and effective as conventional metal stents for repeat percutaneous coronary interventions

Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of automated external defibrillators in private homes

University of Phoenix College of Social and Behavioral Sciences leadership publishes white paper on trauma-informed education

Identifying the best high-biomass sorghum hybrids based on biomass yield potential and feedstock quality affected by nitrogen fertility management under various environments