How AI Could Save a Submarine from Attack

The underwater ocean world is an ecosystem with lots of different sounds. So naval forces have traditionally relied on so-called "golden ears," or musicians and other individuals with particularly sharp hearing, to detect the specific signals coming from an enemy submarine. But given the overload of data today, distinguishing between false alarms and actual dangers has become more difficult. That's why "Thales is working on "Deep Learning" algorithms capable of recognizing the particular "song" of a submarine, much as the "Shazam" app helps you identify a song you hear on the radio", says Dominique Thubert, Thales Underwater Systems, which is specialized in sonar systems for submarines, surface warships, and aircraft. These algorithms, attached to submarines, surface ship or drones, will help naval forces sort through and classify information in order to detect attacks early on.