More than 100 employees from member companies of the Undersea Technology Innovation Consortium recently completed a sonar training course offered through a partnership with the University of Rhode Island and RTX, the consortium announced.
The partnership, aimed at strengthening the defense technology workforce, let UTIC members take the Principles of Sonar, Underwater Sound, and Undersea Systems course on a non-credit basis during the spring 2026 semester. URI graduate students took the course for credit. It was offered both virtually and in person.
It was the third time the course has been offered. Since it began, more than 500 UTIC member employees have taken it, the consortium said. The initiative comes as demand grows for specialized technical talent across the undersea and maritime defense sectors.
“As undersea technology continues to rapidly evolve, expanding access to specialized education and technical training is essential to building a skilled, future-ready workforce,” said UTIC Chief Executive Officer Molly Donohue Magee. She said partnerships like the one with URI and RTX help member organizations support innovation and advance the nation’s undersea mission.
The program was led by John Short, whom the consortium described as a nationally recognized expert in sonar and undersea systems. Short said the course is an investment in the future of the industry.
“By combining fundamental principles with practical application, the program helps professionals strengthen technical expertise, apply new knowledge to real-world challenges, and build on both existing and emerging innovations,” he said.
The graduate-level course focuses on the fundamentals of sonar technology, underwater acoustics and undersea systems engineering. The curriculum covers active and passive sonar design, acoustic modeling, ocean environment fundamentals and practical applications such as performance estimation, system tradeoffs and in-water testing. It is expected to be offered again in spring 2027.
The Undersea Technology Innovation Consortium describes itself as a national community of small and large technology companies, academic institutions and nonprofits collaborating to develop undersea and maritime technologies for industry, defense and security. More information is available at underseatech.org.
