Underwater acoustics test facility (ATF) at Naval Underwater Warfare Center (NUWC), Newport, RI

The acoustics test facility at NUWC Newport, RI is one of the US Navy’s primary facilities for acoustic evaluation of underwater vehicles. The ATF can measure the acoustic characteristics of complete underwater weapon systems as well as individual system components. Typical tests are transducer and structure transfer functions, target strength measurements, self-noise evaluations, and acoustic evaluation versus pressure and temperature. Principal features of the ATF are; a 700 000 gal test tank with nonparallel walls, multiple test setup flexibility, 3-ton weight handling with two X–Y traveling cranes, an automated state-of-the-art test system for data acquisition and reduction, large X–Y–Z and tilt probe positioner, an acoustically transparent pressure vessel, an underwater TV camera, mechanical laser alignment, and exceptional rotation equipment.