 The Sonar Array Sounding System (SASS) was developed in the early 1960s by the US Navy, in conjunction with General Instrument to map large swaths of the ocean floor to assist the underwater navigation of its submarine force.SASS was tested aboard the USS "Compass Island" (AG-153).The final array system, composed of sixty-one one degree beams with a swath width of approximately 1.15 times water depth, was then installed on the USNS "Bowditch" (T-AGS-21), USNS "Dutton" (T-AGS-22) and USNS "Michelson" (T-AGS-23).