In reviewing the data collected by the system, the US picked up on the acoustic signature of an implosion and were able to pinpoint the location of the noise, far away from the Soviet search efforts. The US noticed increased Soviet naval activity and concluded they may be searching for a submarine.
In 1968, the Navy used the system to pinpoint the location of a missing Soviet submarine, K-129, in the North Pacific. Though the system itself is not classified, according to a Navy official, its operation and collection capabilities are secret. “The Integrated Undersea Surveillance System mission is multi-faceted, encompassing not only the operations of detection, localization and tracking of submarines and the collection of acoustic and hydrographic information, but also the maintenance of processing and communications equipment necessary to carry out the operational mission,” according to the Navy.īecause sound travels so well underwater, the sensors can be used to triangulate the position of an enemy submarine or an underwater noise picked up by the array.