A family of expendable communications buoys that enables submarines to remain at tactical posture, yet provide robust and sustained one way and two way communications via the iridium commercial satellite network to operational commanders in support of multiple submarine missions.

Ultra Electronics Ocean Systems two way communications buoy utilizes a fiber-optic spooled tether connected to the submarine. This capability provides the submarine with real time, two way chat, file transfer and e-mail, while maintaining its tactical posture. After completing its mission, the tether is severed and the buoy scuttles automatically.

Ultra’s one way programmable buoy enables the submarine to pass time critical information without breaking tactical posture, utilizing iridium commercial satellite network. These designs are directly applicable to communications at speed and depth.

The Submarine Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon or SEPIRB is a radio signaling device used for locating a submarine in distress. The SEPIRB is specifically designed for submarine use, and can be launched either via the submarine’s signal ejector or its escape trunk. Upon surfacing, SEPIRB transmits a digitally encoded distress message over the COSPAS-SARSAT satellite network, which obtains the position of the SEPIRB to within 100 yards (91 meters) using an onboard GPS receiver. The SEPIRB broadcasts message transmissions and beacon continuously until either the batteries are exhausted (48 hours minimum) or until the device is retrieved and manually deactivated.