Westland Aircraft Limited

Geoffrey Peter Warley

Noel Mills

The invention discloses a method of detecting underwater objects and an apparatus therefor, and is particularly concerned with such methods and apparatus for use in conjunction with a helicopter. A buoyant structure houses a sonar body in a stowed position, and is suspended on a cable from a releasable attachment on a helicopter. Means are provided for lowering and raising the buoyant structure relative to the helicopter and for lowering and raising the sonar body relative to the buoyant structure. The cable is provided with flotation and sea anchor means to deploy the cable across the water surface when it is released from the helicopter during one stage of operation, means being provided on the helicopter to recover the cable from the water to facilitate recovery of the apparatus.

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Yeovil, United Kingdom

Geoffrey Peter Warley