Hard/Critical Technology/Sensing, Timing & Navigation

Acoustic & Undersea Sensing

The capacity to sense with sound: sonar, acoustic arrays and the undersea sensing technologies on which undersea warfare, seabed awareness and ocean science all rest.
factbase.org/cap/T1BEM91Z0C
World mean
2.9
of 20 · median 1.0
Range
0–20
middle half 0.0–3.0
Panel SD
±0.32
round 1 ±0.86 — the honest estimate
Leader
20
United States

Indicators

The measures seeded for this capability in the framework. They are candidate indicators: no cell in the index has a source document attached to it yet.

Band spread across 197 nations

Frontier 4
Advanced 10
Established 6
Transitional 3
Foundational 9
Nascent 23
Inception 142

All 197 nations

Best first. The score is the mean of the four adjudicators' round-3 integers, rounded to the nearest integer; ±SD is their spread on that cell. Where the spread is three points or more, read the number as a band rather than a value.

#NationRegionScoreBandPanel SD
1 🇺🇸United States Americas 20 Frontier ±0.00
2 🇫🇷France Europe 18 Frontier ±0.43
3 🇳🇴Norway Europe 18 Frontier ±0.43
4 🇬🇧United Kingdom Europe 18 Frontier ±0.00
5 🇨🇳China Asia Pacific 17 Advanced ±0.00
6 🇩🇪Germany Europe 17 Advanced ±0.00
7 🇯🇵Japan Asia Pacific 17 Advanced ±0.43
8 🇨🇦Canada Americas 16 Advanced ±0.43
9 🇷🇺Russia Europe 16 Advanced ±0.00
10 🇰🇷South Korea Asia Pacific 16 Advanced ±0.43
11 🇸🇪Sweden Europe 16 Advanced ±0.43
12 🇦🇺Australia Asia Pacific 15 Advanced ±0.00
13 🇮🇱Israel Middle East 15 Advanced ±0.43
14 🇮🇹Italy Europe 15 Advanced ±0.00
15 🇳🇱Netherlands Europe 14 Established ±1.09
16 🇪🇸Spain Europe 14 Established ±0.00
17 🇩🇰Denmark Europe 13 Established ±0.71
18 🇮🇳India Asia Pacific 13 Established ±0.00
19 🇸🇬Singapore Asia Pacific 12 Established ±0.43
20 🇹🇷Türkiye Middle East 12 Established ±0.43
21 🇫🇮Finland Europe 11 Transitional ±3.84
22 🇹🇼Taiwan Asia Pacific 11 Transitional ±1.87
23 🇵🇱Poland Europe 9 Transitional ±0.87
24 🇧🇷Brazil Americas 8 Foundational ±1.87
25 🇿🇦South Africa Africa 8 Foundational ±1.09
26 🇬🇷Greece Europe 7 Foundational ±1.23
27 🇳🇿New Zealand Asia Pacific 7 Foundational ±2.06
28 🇵🇹Portugal Europe 7 Foundational ±1.30
29 🇺🇦Ukraine Europe 7 Foundational ±0.50
30 🇮🇩Indonesia Asia Pacific 6 Foundational ±0.71
31 🇮🇷Iran Asia Pacific 6 Foundational ±0.71
32 🇲🇾Malaysia Asia Pacific 6 Foundational ±0.43
33 🇦🇷Argentina Americas 5 Nascent ±1.23
34 🇧🇪Belgium Europe 5 Nascent ±0.87
35 🇨🇱Chile Americas 5 Nascent ±0.43
36 🇰🇵North Korea Asia Pacific 5 Nascent ±1.64
37 🇵🇰Pakistan Asia Pacific 5 Nascent ±1.73
38 🇹🇭Thailand Asia Pacific 5 Nascent ±0.43
39 🇦🇪United Arab Emirates Middle East 5 Nascent ±1.09
40 🇻🇳Vietnam Asia Pacific 5 Nascent ±0.71
41 🇪🇬Egypt Africa 4 Nascent ±0.43
42 🇪🇪Estonia Europe 4 Nascent ±1.00
43 🇮🇪Ireland Europe 4 Nascent ±0.50
44 🇲🇽Mexico Americas 4 Nascent ±0.83
45 🇷🇴Romania Europe 4 Nascent ±0.43
46 🇧🇬Bulgaria Europe 3 Nascent ±0.50
47 🇨🇴Colombia Americas 3 Nascent ±0.50
48 🇮🇸Iceland Europe 3 Nascent ±0.43
49 🇱🇻Latvia Europe 3 Nascent ±0.50
50 🇱🇹Lithuania Europe 3 Nascent ±0.43
51 🇲🇦Morocco Africa 3 Nascent ±0.43
52 🇵🇪Peru Americas 3 Nascent ±0.00
53 🇵🇭Philippines Asia Pacific 3 Nascent ±0.00
54 🇸🇦Saudi Arabia Middle East 3 Nascent ±1.09
55 🇨🇭Switzerland Europe 3 Nascent ±0.83
56 🇩🇿Algeria Africa 2 Inception ±0.43
57 🇦🇹Austria Europe 2 Inception ±0.43
58 🇭🇷Croatia Europe 2 Inception ±0.43
59 🇨🇺Cuba Americas 2 Inception ±0.50
60 🇨🇿Czechia Europe 2 Inception ±1.12
61 🇪🇨Ecuador Americas 2 Inception ±0.00
62 🇲🇹Malta Europe 2 Inception ±0.50
63 🇳🇬Nigeria Africa 2 Inception ±0.00
64 🇷🇸Serbia Europe 2 Inception ±0.50
65 🇸🇮Slovenia Europe 2 Inception ±0.00
66 🇱🇰Sri Lanka Asia Pacific 2 Inception ±0.43
67 🇹🇳Tunisia Africa 2 Inception ±0.43
68 🇺🇾Uruguay Americas 2 Inception ±0.50
69 🇻🇪Venezuela Americas 2 Inception ±0.43
70 🇦🇴Angola Africa 1 Inception ±0.43
71 🇦🇿Azerbaijan Middle East 1 Inception ±0.00
72 🇧🇭Bahrain Middle East 1 Inception ±0.00
73 🇧🇩Bangladesh Asia Pacific 1 Inception ±0.00
74 🇧🇾Belarus Europe 1 Inception ±0.00
75 🇧🇳Brunei Asia Pacific 1 Inception ±0.00
76 🇨🇷Costa Rica Americas 1 Inception ±0.00
77 🇨🇾Cyprus Middle East 1 Inception ±0.00
78 🇸🇻El Salvador Americas 1 Inception ±0.43
79 🇪🇹Ethiopia Africa 1 Inception ±0.50
80 🇫🇯Fiji Asia Pacific 1 Inception ±0.00
81 🇬🇦Gabon Africa 1 Inception ±0.50
82 🇬🇪Georgia Middle East 1 Inception ±0.00
83 🇬🇭Ghana Africa 1 Inception ±0.43
84 🇬🇹Guatemala Americas 1 Inception ±0.43
85 🇬🇳Guinea Africa 1 Inception ±0.50
86 🇬🇾Guyana Americas 1 Inception ±0.50
87 🇭🇳Honduras Americas 1 Inception ±0.50
88 🇭🇺Hungary Europe 1 Inception ±0.83
89 🇮🇶Iraq Middle East 1 Inception ±0.00
90 🇯🇲Jamaica Americas 1 Inception ±0.43
91 🇯🇴Jordan Middle East 1 Inception ±0.50
92 🇰🇿Kazakhstan Asia Pacific 1 Inception ±0.00
93 🇰🇪Kenya Africa 1 Inception ±0.43
94 🇰🇼Kuwait Middle East 1 Inception ±0.00
95 🇱🇧Lebanon Middle East 1 Inception ±0.43
96 🇱🇺Luxembourg Europe 1 Inception ±0.50
97 🇲🇬Madagascar Africa 1 Inception ±0.50
98 🇲🇷Mauritania Africa 1 Inception ±0.50
99 🇲🇺Mauritius Africa 1 Inception ±0.00
100 🇲🇨Monaco Europe 1 Inception ±0.43
101 🇲🇪Montenegro Europe 1 Inception ±0.43
102 🇲🇿Mozambique Africa 1 Inception ±0.50
103 🇲🇲Myanmar Asia Pacific 1 Inception ±0.43
104 🇳🇦Namibia Africa 1 Inception ±0.00
105 🇴🇲Oman Middle East 1 Inception ±0.43
106 🇵🇦Panama Americas 1 Inception ±0.43
107 🇵🇬Papua New Guinea Asia Pacific 1 Inception ±0.43
108 🇶🇦Qatar Middle East 1 Inception ±0.00
109 🇸🇳Senegal Africa 1 Inception ±0.00
110 🇸🇨Seychelles Africa 1 Inception ±0.50
111 🇸🇰Slovakia Europe 1 Inception ±0.43
112 🇹🇿Tanzania Africa 1 Inception ±0.00
113 🇹🇹Trinidad & Tobago Americas 1 Inception ±0.71
114 🇦🇫Afghanistan Asia Pacific 0 Inception ±0.00
115 🇦🇱Albania Europe 0 Inception ±0.43
116 🇦🇩Andorra Europe 0 Inception ±0.00
117 🇦🇬Antigua & Barbuda Americas 0 Inception ±0.00
118 🇦🇲Armenia Middle East 0 Inception ±0.43
119 🇧🇸Bahamas Americas 0 Inception ±0.43
120 🇧🇧Barbados Americas 0 Inception ±0.00
121 🇧🇿Belize Americas 0 Inception ±0.00
122 🇧🇯Benin Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
123 🇧🇹Bhutan Asia Pacific 0 Inception ±0.00
124 🇧🇴Bolivia Americas 0 Inception ±0.43
125 🇧🇦Bosnia & Herzegovina Europe 0 Inception ±0.00
126 🇧🇼Botswana Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
127 🇧🇫Burkina Faso Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
128 🇧🇮Burundi Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
129 🇨🇻Cabo Verde Africa 0 Inception ±0.43
130 🇰🇭Cambodia Asia Pacific 0 Inception ±0.00
131 🇨🇲Cameroon Africa 0 Inception ±0.43
132 🇨🇫Central African Rep. Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
133 🇹🇩Chad Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
134 🇰🇲Comoros Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
135 🇨🇬Congo Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
136 🇨🇮Côte d'Ivoire Africa 0 Inception ±0.43
137 🇩🇯Djibouti Africa 0 Inception ±0.43
138 🇩🇲Dominica Americas 0 Inception ±0.00
139 🇩🇴Dominican Republic Americas 0 Inception ±0.43
140 🇨🇩DR Congo Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
141 🇬🇶Equatorial Guinea Africa 0 Inception ±0.43
142 🇪🇷Eritrea Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
143 🇸🇿Eswatini Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
144 🇬🇲Gambia Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
145 🇬🇩Grenada Americas 0 Inception ±0.00
146 🇬🇼Guinea-Bissau Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
147 🇭🇹Haiti Americas 0 Inception ±0.00
148 🇻🇦Holy See Europe 0 Inception ±0.00
149 🇰🇮Kiribati Asia Pacific 0 Inception ±0.00
150 🇽🇰Kosovo Europe 0 Inception ±0.00
151 🇰🇬Kyrgyzstan Asia Pacific 0 Inception ±0.00
152 🇱🇦Laos Asia Pacific 0 Inception ±0.00
153 🇱🇸Lesotho Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
154 🇱🇷Liberia Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
155 🇱🇾Libya Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
156 🇱🇮Liechtenstein Europe 0 Inception ±0.00
157 🇲🇼Malawi Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
158 🇲🇻Maldives Asia Pacific 0 Inception ±0.43
159 🇲🇱Mali Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
160 🇲🇭Marshall Islands Asia Pacific 0 Inception ±0.00
161 🇫🇲Micronesia Asia Pacific 0 Inception ±0.00
162 🇲🇩Moldova Europe 0 Inception ±0.00
163 🇲🇳Mongolia Asia Pacific 0 Inception ±0.00
164 🇳🇷Nauru Asia Pacific 0 Inception ±0.00
165 🇳🇵Nepal Asia Pacific 0 Inception ±0.00
166 🇳🇮Nicaragua Americas 0 Inception ±0.43
167 🇳🇪Niger Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
168 🇲🇰North Macedonia Europe 0 Inception ±0.00
169 🇵🇼Palau Asia Pacific 0 Inception ±0.00
170 🇵🇸Palestine Middle East 0 Inception ±0.00
171 🇵🇾Paraguay Americas 0 Inception ±0.00
172 🇷🇼Rwanda Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
173 🇰🇳Saint Kitts & Nevis Americas 0 Inception ±0.00
174 🇱🇨Saint Lucia Americas 0 Inception ±0.00
175 🇻🇨Saint Vincent & Grenadines Americas 0 Inception ±0.00
176 🇼🇸Samoa Asia Pacific 0 Inception ±0.00
177 🇸🇲San Marino Europe 0 Inception ±0.00
178 🇸🇹São Tomé & Príncipe Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
179 🇸🇱Sierra Leone Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
180 🇸🇧Solomon Islands Asia Pacific 0 Inception ±0.00
181 🇸🇴Somalia Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
182 🇸🇸South Sudan Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
183 🇸🇩Sudan Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
184 🇸🇷Suriname Americas 0 Inception ±0.43
185 🇸🇾Syria Middle East 0 Inception ±0.00
186 🇹🇯Tajikistan Asia Pacific 0 Inception ±0.00
187 🇹🇱Timor-Leste Asia Pacific 0 Inception ±0.00
188 🇹🇬Togo Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
189 🇹🇴Tonga Asia Pacific 0 Inception ±0.00
190 🇹🇲Turkmenistan Asia Pacific 0 Inception ±0.00
191 🇹🇻Tuvalu Asia Pacific 0 Inception ±0.00
192 🇺🇬Uganda Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
193 🇺🇿Uzbekistan Asia Pacific 0 Inception ±0.00
194 🇻🇺Vanuatu Asia Pacific 0 Inception ±0.00
195 🇾🇪Yemen Middle East 0 Inception ±0.00
196 🇿🇲Zambia Africa 0 Inception ±0.00
197 🇿🇼Zimbabwe Africa 0 Inception ±0.00

Others in Sensing, Timing & Navigation

CapabilityWorld meanRangeLeader
Precision Timing & Atomic Clocks3.70–20United States
Resilient Positioning & Navigation2.80–20United States
Advanced Imaging & Photonic Sensing3.80–20United States
Radar & Radiofrequency Sensing3.40–20United States