Klein Marine Systems Revamps Sonar Training

Klein Marine Systems, which celebrates this year its 50^th anniversary of business activity, recently revamped its long-standing sonar training in line with its commitment to continuously improve the customer support services.

The first change was to hold the training at a new venue. The fully-appointed classroom at the Seacoast Science Center embedded in the Odiorne Point State Park in Rye, New Hampshire, provided Klein customers the perfect learning environment with a fully-equipped media room, three overhead projection screens and comfortable seating at tables. The Seacoast Science Center, for which Klein is a Corporate Sponsor, provides ocean education for people of all ages through a range of programs and activities and encourages everyone to become stewards of this precious natural resource.

Second, Giuseppe DiStefano, Director of Sales and Marketing, engaged Black Laser Learning® to provide the technical sonar analysis section of the training. “This year, we decided to give our training more expeditionary content and brought in a guest trainer who has a level of expeditionary experience that Vince brings,” said DiStefano.

Vince Capone, Black Laser Learning’s senior sonar instructor, provided two days of detailed sonar analysis, general acoustic principles, and a general overview of side scan sonar systems. The training included dozens of examples of sonar imagery and animations demonstrating the concepts discussed. Additionally, a special one-hour session on security topics was held for law enforcement participants.

The teams took to the water on the third day, aboard the 50-foot Gulf Challenger, the flagship of the University of New Hampshire’s Marine Program. Working just outside Portsmouth Harbor, participants operated both the Klein 4900 single-beam side-scan sonar unit and the multi-beam Klein 5000V2 system to identify drowning victims, aircraft debris, and other debris fields, gaining exposure to a variety of sonar missions.

A total of 28 students participated in the training, including members of the Canadian and US Navies, Los Angeles Harbor Police, the New Hampshire Marine Patrol, and independent archaeologists and surveyors. Previously, Capone had given several training sessions for Klein in the 1990s, and felt right at home back in the Klein environment. Marty Klein, founder of Klein Associates (now Klein Marine Systems, Inc.), also made a guest appearance.

Commenting on the successful outcome, Capone remarked, “The reaction from participants was extremely positive, and I enjoyed working with Klein Marine Systems again.” Klein plans to continue the successful partnership with Black Laser Learning® and a new training calendar will be issued in the month of September.