Page 14: of Marine Technology Magazine (September 2023)

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BIRNS https://birns.com/

BIRNS, Inc. has been helping shape technology in the sub- sea industry since the 1960s, when it began developing ad- vanced lighting systems and other unique marine solutions for the U.S. Navy. In the years to follow, BIRNS’ lighting and connector systems provided support to a wide range of advanced subsea and defense application projects world- wide. Today, BIRNS designs, develops and tests subsea connectors, penetrators and cable assemblies, with special

All American Marine expertise in high-speed data transfer. The company recently developed a low temperature/high pressure testing capabil-

All American Marine ity for deep submergence connectors and cable assemblies, www.allamericanmarine.com allowing continuous testing to 6000msw in a controlled 2°C

All American Marine (AAM) remains one of the most (±1°C) environment. BIRNS also received its ? rst SUB- proli? c builders of research vessels for the subsea explo- SAFE/CSI order this year for custom electro-optical hull ration and tourism communities. Earlier this year, AAM penetrators (EHP) for military submarines.

delivered a new research and hydrographic survey ves- To meet the need for extreme high speed data transfer re- sel for NV5-Geodynamics, built to service the growing quirements in extreme depths and conditions, BIRNS has offshore wind market as well as accomplish many other introduced breakthrough connectivity capabilities in sev- scienti? c survey missions. Dubbed Shackleford, it is a eral areas: electrical, RF, optical and hybrid. Gigabit Speed 73- by 26.7-ft. semi-displacement aluminum catamaran Data Transfer Capabilities: BIRNS developed exclusive developed by Nic de Waal of Teknicraft Design in Auck- deep submergence cable stock constructed for Cat 8.2 use, land, New Zealand. The newbuild leverages fundamen- and produces 6km-rated cable assemblies with 9.4+/- 0.1 tal design elements of the Duke University Marine Lab’s Gb/s data transfer rate. Performance testing shows this data

Shearwater and Blue Tide Puerto Rico’s Blue Manta, transfer rate is consistent from 0 to 8700 PSI/600 bar. RF both built by AAM. Named after Shackleford Banks, the Capabilities: BIRNS Millennium RF connectors have pro- southernmost barrier island in the Cape Lookout National prietary coax technology providing low insertion loss, high

Seashore chain and a nod to the region’s rich maritime his- frequency capability, open face pressure resistance, and tory, Shackleford was constructed to USCG Subchapter T 50O and 75O con? gurations. BIRNS 1C connectors pro- standards. The vessel will serve an integral role in NV5- vide =0.7 dB UHF insertion loss and =1.7:1 VSWR at 3GHz

Geodynamics’ mission of providing turnkey/“single pass” and withstand open face pressure to 1450msw. BIRNS 1V offshore surveys and has been speci? cally customized connectors feature a 75O RF contact in a 50O footprint for to serve the burgeoning offshore wind sector on the U.S. HD/SD video, shortwave antennas, or low-power RF need-

Eastern Seaboard. To reduce survey mobilization costs, ing minimal signal attenuation. BIRNS 1B ultra-low-loss

Shackleford is out? tted with fully dedicated and redun- RF pressure-rated connectors were developed for USN for dant survey systems, including the Kongsberg EM 2040 use to SHF band Ku and have been cold-water and hot-wa-

MKII Multibeam Echosounder that is deployed through ter quali? ed for NSWCPCD. Optical Capabilities: BIRNS the vessel’s moonpool via retractable strut. Dimensional Millennium optical connectors and cable assemblies deliver

Control (DimCon) surveys utilizing applied metrol- the ultimate in high-performance data transmission, with ogy techniques orient the Shackleford’s primary IMU/ 0.1dB insertion loss quali? ed in 48 hours’ continuous test- multibeam reference systems, and a network of discrete ing at 600 bar/6000msw in 1°C saltwater.

benchmarks set within the vessel’s reference frame al- lowing accurate and repeatable lever arm calculations to all survey sensors. Coordinate Uncertainty Analysis of the ? nal DimCon survey establishes an overall RMS of 0.0001 meters between all established points within the network. Pictured above is the AAM-built, recently delivered research vessel IMUA for the University of

Hawai’i at Manoa.

14 September/October 2023

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