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The 'U.S. Navy's Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Center (AUTEC)' is an instrumented laboratory that performs integrated three-dimensional hydrospace/aerospace trajectory measurements covering the entire spectrum of undersea simulated warfare: calibration, classifications, detection, and destruction. Its vital mission is to assist in establishing and maintaining naval supremacy of the United States through testing, evaluation, and underwater research. AUTEC like area 51 has been subject of some UFO conspiracy theories.

Contents

General Information

Deep Water Range

In Air Tracking

In Water Tracking

Electronic Warfare Threat Simulator

Tasks

See also

Notes

External links

General Information

The sophisticated facility includes three test ranges: the Weapons Range, the Acoustic Range, and the FORACS Range, all located in the "Tongue of the ocean" (TOTO), a deep-ocean basin approximately 100 nautical miles long by 15 miles wide that varies in depth down to 6,000 feet. The main AUTEC support base and downrange tracking stations are on Andros Island in the Bahamas, just south of Nassau and about 180 miles southeast of West Palm Beach, Florida. AUTEC is the ABSOLUTE WORST thing that could happen to the island of Andros. Unsubstantiated claim, please elaborate.

Deep Water Range

The deep water Weapons Range lies roughly parallel to the east coast of Andros Island. It is the largest and most versatile of the AUTEC ranges, and it is capable of tracking up to 63 in-water objects simultaneously. The range is supported by the Main Base (Site 1) and various smaller sites located to the south along the east coast of Andros Island. AN/WQC-2A Sonar Communications Sets and Bi-Directional Communications Nodes provide underwater voice communications for mobile target and emergency command signal coverage, while HF, UHF, and VHF radio communications are available over the entire range^[1].

In Air Tracking

In-air tracking is provided by radars and various other in-air tracking systems such as LATR, the Hyperbolic In-Air Tracking System (HITS), and DGPS. These in-air systems cover the AUTEC Weapons Range up to a distance of 500 nautical miles (926 kilometers) from Site 1 and a height of 70,000 feet (21,000 meters). Surveillance radars operate to support air and surface safety^[1].

In Water Tracking

The in-water portion of the Weapons Range covers 500 square nautical miles. This range can be divided into two distinct tracking areas consisting of roughly 250 square nautical miles. This flexibility allows for the unique operation of two distinct individual exercises. Use of the total range is referred to as "Weapons Range", while dividing the range into two distinct portions, the northern section is referred to as "Weapons Range North", whereas the southern portion is called "Weapons Range South"^[1].

Electronic Warfare Threat Simulator

EWTS is a real-time system that will generate complex, dynamic, electromagnetic signal environments at the radio frequency (RF) level. With this system, AUTEC will offer capabilities to test different platform receivers in an open-air, over-the-water range. The system consists of a radar simulator, pedestal and controller, antennas, high-power amplifiers, calibration equipment, and an operator workstation. The system is housed in an air-conditioned radome and located on a 74-foot tower^[4].

Tasks

The typical task performed at AUTEC is testing and certifying the proficiency of U.S. Navy submarine captains and their crews, as well as the accuracy of their undersea weapons.

See also

★ United States Navy

★ Naval Sea Systems Command

★ Naval Undersea Warfare Center

Notes

1. http://www.npt.nuwc.navy.mil/autec/wr.htm
2. http://www.npt.nuwc.navy.mil/autec/wr.htm
3. http://www.npt.nuwc.navy.mil/autec/wr.htm
4. http://www.npt.nuwc.navy.mil/autec/esm01.htm

External links

★ AUTEC, the Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Center

★ Naval Undersea Warfare Center, Newport, Rhode Island

★ Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Center (AUTEC)

★ Andros Bahamas: Bonefish Capital of the World

★ Andros Island