
Multi-Aperture Sonar (MAS) systems, such as the Solstice MAS from Forcys’ partner Wavefront Systems, are engineered to provide high-frequency, high-resolution, and long-range imaging data.
MAS systems enhance the likelihood of detecting unexploded ordnance (UXO), mine-like objects, and improvised explosive devices (IED) while reducing the risk of false alarms.
MAS surpasses traditional side-scan sonar across nearly all underwater environments and is recognized for offering data quality comparable to synthetic aperture sonar (SAS) with significantly lower power consumption. MAS excels particularly in shallow to very shallow waters (SW, VSW) within littoral zones, where the acoustic conditions are especially challenging.
Conventional side-scan and synthetic aperture sonars are impacted by higher-order multipath reverberation, fluctuating and often unknown velocity of sound profiles, complex bathymetry, baseline decorrelation, and platform instability.
These factors result in less dependable sonar outputs, with longer-range systems being especially affected. This issue is even more pronounced in tidal and riverine settings. Despite its advantages in shallow waters, MAS remains a highly effective tool for deep-water missions. Efficient operation translates to significant time and cost savings.
The simplicity of MAS integration allows for seamless deployment in various applications. The Solstice MAS from Forcys’ technology partner, Wavefront Systems, has been incorporated in a range of unmanned systems for subsea deployment.
This includes unmanned surface vessels (USVs) with next-generation mine-hunting capabilities, autonomous underwater vessels (AUVs) outfitted with Voyis insight optical systems, and onboard other systems to provide maritime mine countermeasures (MCM) capabilities.
Advantages of the Solstice MAS
A primary advantage of the Solstice MAS is its exceptional performance-to-power ratio, providing detailed mine-hunting data while imposing minimal power demands on the host platform.
Additionally, the system demonstrates superior effectiveness in shallow waters. At depths of up to 30 meters, synthetic aperture sonar and lower-frequency side-scan sonar often experience multipath interference due to reflections from the surface and seafloor. While some SAS systems may see up to 50% of their swath affected by these issues, Solstice typically experiences less than a 10% impact, ensuring more reliable data acquisition.
The Solstice MAS is also designed for ease of operation. Unlike SAS, it maintains a consistent range regardless of vehicle speed, eliminating the risk of data loss due to abrupt accelerations caused by underwater currents. This feature ensures that surveys remain predictable and easier to manage, leading to more efficient and streamlined operations.
A variant of Solstice is available with double the along-track resolution. The S4000 is longer and has a higher power consumption (37 W, including onboard real-time processing), but offers enhanced performance for detecting smaller targets across its entire 200-meter swath.