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ECCN Lookup 6A001

  • NS
  • AT

Acoustic systems, equipment and "components," as follows (see List of Items Controlled).

Category:
6 — Sensors & Lasers
Product Group:
A — Equipment, Assemblies & Components
Last updated:
2026-05-04

Items Covered

  • a.Marine acoustic systems, equipment and "specially designed" "components" therefor, as follows:
    • 1. Active (transmitting or transmitting-and-receiving) systems, equipment and "specially designed" "components" therefor, as follows:
  • a.Depth sounders operating vertically below the apparatus, not including a scanning function exceeding ± 20°, and limited to measuring the depth of water, the distance of submerged or buried objects or fish finding;
  • b.Acoustic beacons, as follows:
    • 1.a. Acoustic seabed survey equipment as follows:
      • 1.a.1. Surface vessel survey equipment designed for sea bed topographic mapping and having all of the following:
        • 1.a.1.a. Designed to take measurements at an angle exceeding 20° from the vertical;
        • 1.a.1.b. Designed to measure seabed topography at seabed depths exceeding 600 m;
  • a.1.a.1.c.'Sounding resolution' less than 2; and
    • 1.a.1.d. 'Enhancement' of the depth "accuracy" through compensation for all the following:
    • 1.a.1.d.1. Motion of the acoustic sensor;
    • 1.a.1.d.2. In-water propagation from sensor to the seabed and back; and
    • 1.a.1.d.3. Sound speed at the sensor;
  • 1.a.2. Underwater survey equipment designed for seabed topographic mapping and having any of the following:
  • 1.a.2.a. Having all of the following:
  • 1.a.2.a.1. Designed or modified to operate at depths exceeding 300 m; and
  • 1.a.2.a.2. 'Sounding rate' greater than 3,800 m/s; or
  • 1.a.2.b. Survey equipment, not specified by 6A001.a.1.a.2.a, having all of the following:
  • 1.a.2.b.1. Designed or modified to operate at depths exceeding 100 m;
  • 1.a.2.b.2. Designed to take measurements at an angle exceeding 20° from the vertical;
  • 1.a.2.b.3. Having any of the following:
  • 1.a.2.b.3.a. Operating frequency below 350 kHz; or
  • 1.a.2.b.3.b. Designed to measure seabed topography at a range exceeding 200 m from the acoustic sensor; and
  • 1.a.2.b.4. 'Enhancement' of the depth "accuracy" through compensation of all of the following:
  • 1.a.2.b.4.a. Motion of the acoustic sensor;
  • 1.a.2.b.4.b. In-water propagation from sensor to the seabed and back; and
  • 1.a.2.b.4.c. Sound speed at the sensor.
  • 1.a.3. Side Scan Sonar (SSS) or Synthetic Aperture Sonar (SAS), designed for seabed imaging and having all of the following, and "specially designed" transmitting and receiving acoustic arrays therefor:
  • 1.a.3.a. Designed or modified to operate at depths exceeding 500 m; and
  • 1.a.3.b. An 'area coverage rate' of greater than 570 m2/s while operating at the maximum range that it can operate with an 'along track resolution' of less than 15 cm; and
  • 1.a.3.c. An 'across track resolution' of less than 15 cm;
  • a.1.b Systems or transmitting and receiving arrays, designed for object detection or location, having any of the following:
    • 1.b.1. A transmitting frequency below 10 kHz;
    • 1.b.2. Sound pressure level exceeding 224dB (reference 1 µPa at 1 m) for equipment with an operating frequency in the band from 10 kHz to 24 kHz inclusive;
    • 1.b.3. Sound pressure level exceeding 235 dB (reference 1 µPa at 1 m) for equipment with an operating frequency in the band between 24 kHz and 30 kHz;
    • 1.b.4. Forming beams of less than 1° on any axis and having an operating frequency of less than 100 kHz;
    • 1.b.5. Designed to operate with an unambiguous display range exceeding 5,120 m; or
    • 1.b.6. Designed to withstand pressure during normal operation at depths exceeding 1,000 m and having transducers with any of the following:
      • 1.b.6.a. Dynamic compensation for pressure; or
      • 1.b.6.b. Incorporating other than lead zirconate titanate as the transduction element;
  • 1.c. Acoustic projectors, including transducers, incorporating piezoelectric, magnetostrictive, electrostrictive, electrodynamic or hydraulic elements operating individually or in a designed combination and having any of the following:
  • 1.c.1. Operating at frequencies below 10 kHz and having any of the following:
  • 1.c.1.a. Not designed for continuous operation at 100% duty cycle and having a radiated 'free-field Source Level (SLRMS)' exceeding (10log(f) + 169.77)dB (reference 1 µPa at 1 m) where f is the frequency in Hertz of maximum Transmitting Voltage Response (TVR) below 10 kHz; or
  • 1.c.1.b. Designed for continuous operation at 100% duty cycle and having a continuously radiated 'free-field Source Level (SLRMS)' at 100% duty cycle exceeding (10log(f) + 159.77)dB (reference 1 µPa at 1 m) where f is the frequency in Hertz of maximum Transmitting Voltage Response (TVR) below 10 kHz; or
  • 1.c.2. [Reserved]
  • 1.c.3. Side-lobe suppression exceeding 22 dB;
  • 1.d. Acoustic systems and equipment, designed to determine the position of surface vessels or underwater vehicles and having all of the following, and "specially designed" "components" therefor:
  • 1.d.1. Detection range exceeding 1,000 m; and
  • 1.d.2. Determined position error of less than 10 m rms (root mean square) when measured at a range of 1,000 m;
  • a.Equipment using coherent "signal processing" between two or more beacons and the hydrophone unit carried by the surface vessel or underwater vehicle;
  • b.Equipment capable of automatically correcting speed-of-sound propagation errors for calculation of a point.
    • 1.e. Active individual sonars, "specially designed" or modified to detect, locate and automatically classify swimmers or divers, having all of the following, and "specially designed" transmitting and receiving acoustic arrays therefor:
      • 1.e.1. Detection range exceeding 530 m;
      • 1.e.2. Determined position error of less than 15 m rms (root mean square) when measured at a range of 530 m; and
      • 1.e.3. Transmitted pulse signal bandwidth exceeding 3 kHz;
  • 2. Passive systems, equipment and "specially designed" "components" therefor, as follows:
  • 2.a. Hydrophones having any of the following:
  • 2.a.1. Incorporating continuous flexible sensing elements;
  • 2.a.2. Incorporating flexible assemblies of discrete sensing elements with either a diameter or length less than 20 mm and with a separation between elements of less than 20 mm;
  • 2.a.3. Having any of the following sensing elements:
  • 2.a.3.a. Optical fibers;
  • 2.a.3.b. 'Piezoelectric polymer films' other than polyvinylidene-fluoride (PVDF) and its co-polymers {P(VDF-TrFE) and P(VDF-TFE)};
  • 2.a.3.c. 'Flexible piezoelectric composites';
  • 2.a.3.d. Lead-magnesium- niobate/lead-titanate (i.e., Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-PbTiO3, or PMN-PT) piezoelectric single crystals grown from solid solution; or
  • 2.a.3.e. Lead-indium-niobate/lead-magnesium niobate/lead-titanate (i.e., Pb(In1/2Nb1/2)O3-Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-PbTiO3, or PIN-PMN-PT) piezoelectric single crystals grown from solid solution;
  • 2.a.4. A 'hydrophone sensitivity' better than −180dB at any depth with no acceleration compensation;
  • 2.a.5. Designed to operate at depths exceeding 35 m with acceleration compensation; or
  • 2.a.6. Designed for operation at depths exceeding 1,000 m and having a 'hydrophone sensitivity' better than −230 dB below 4 kHz;
  • 2.b. Towed acoustic hydrophone arrays having any of the following:
  • 2.b.1. Hydrophone group spacing of less than 12.5 m or 'able to be modified' to have hydrophone group spacing of less than 12.5 m;
  • 2.b.2. Designed or 'able to be modified' to operate at depths exceeding 35m;
  • 2.b.3. Heading sensors controlled by 6A001.a.2.d;
  • 2.b.4. Longitudinally reinforced array hoses;
  • 2.b.5. An assembled array of less than 40 mm in diameter;
  • 2.b.6. [Reserved];
  • 2.b.7. Hydrophone characteristics controlled by 6A001.a.2.a; or
  • 2.b.8. Accelerometer-based hydro-acoustic sensors specified by 6A001.a.2.g;
  • 2.c. Processing equipment, "specially designed" for towed acoustic hydrophone arrays, having "user-accessible programmability" and time or frequency domain processing and correlation, including spectral analysis, digital filtering and beamforming using Fast Fourier or other transforms or processes;
  • 2.d. Heading sensors having all of the following:
  • 2.d.1. An "accuracy" of better than ± 0.5°; and
  • 2.d.2. Designed to operate at depths exceeding 35 m or having an adjustable or removable depth sensing device in order to operate at depths exceeding 35 m;
  • 2.e. Bottom or bay-cable hydrophone arrays having any of the following:
  • 2.e.1. Incorporating hydrophones controlled by 6A001.a.2.a;
  • 2.e.2. Incorporating multiplexed hydrophone group signal modules having all of the following characteristics:
  • 2.e.2.a. Designed to operate at depths exceeding 35 m or having an adjustable or removal depth sensing device in order to operate at depths exceeding 35 m; and
  • 2.e.2.b. Capable of being operationally interchanged with towed acoustic hydrophone array modules; or
  • 2.e.3. Incorporating accelerometer-based hydro-acoustic sensors specified by 6A001.a.2.g;
  • 2.f. Processing equipment, "specially designed" for bottom or bay cable systems, having "user-accessible programmability" and time or frequency domain processing and correlation, including spectral analysis, digital filtering and beamforming using Fast Fourier or other transforms or processes;
  • 2.g. Accelerometer-based hydro-acoustic sensors having all of the following:
  • 2.g.1. Composed of three accelerometers arranged along three distinct axes;
  • 2.g.2. Having an overall 'acceleration sensitivity' better than 48 dB (reference 1,000 mV rms per 1g);
  • 2.g.3. Designed to operate at depths greater than 35 meters; and
  • 2.g.4. Operating frequency below 20 kHz;
  • b.Correlation-velocity and Doppler-velocity sonar log equipment designed to measure the horizontal speed of the equipment carrier relative to the sea bed, as follows:
    • 1. Correlation-velocity sonar log equipment having any of the following characteristics:
      • 1.a. Designed to operate at distances between the carrier and the sea bed exceeding 500 m; or
      • 1.b. Having speed "accuracy" better than 1% of speed;
    • 2. Doppler-velocity sonar log equipment having speed "accuracy" better than 1% of speed;
  • a.Measuring the depth of water;
  • b.Measuring the distance of submerged or buried objects; or
  • c.Fish finding.
  • c.[Reserved]

Control Reasons Explained

This ECCN is controlled for the following reasons. Each reason maps to a column on the Commerce Country Chart, which determines whether a license is required for a given destination.

NSNational Security
Items that could contribute to the military potential of countries of concern. Check the Commerce Country Chart column for NS to determine license requirements.
ATAnti-Terrorism
Basic anti-terrorism controls that apply to most items on the CCL. A license is required for exports to countries designated as state sponsors of terrorism.

Common Questions About 6A001

What does ECCN 6A001 cover?
ECCN 6A001 is an entry on the Commerce Control List (Sensors & Lasers). The List of Items Controlled below describes the products, software, or technology captured by this classification. Compare your item against those parameters when self-classifying.
How do license requirements work for this ECCN?
License need depends on the control reasons shown for this code (for example NS, RS, MT, AT), the destination country, and how your transaction maps against the Commerce Country Chart, de minimis, and other EAR provisions. This page is a research aid only. Confirm against the current rule text and your specific facts before exporting.
Where is the official text for this ECCN?
The legal text appears in Supplement No. 1 to part 774 of the Export Administration Regulations (15 CFR Part 774). Use the official BIS link on this page to open the current supplement entry for this ECCN.
What if my product matches more than one ECCN?
When several ECCNs appear to fit, the controlling entry is usually the one that is most specific to your item's form, function, or technical limits. Cross-references in the List of Items Controlled and related ECCNs listed on this page are common starting points for narrowing the choice.
How often should I re-check this classification?
The Commerce Control List changes when BIS publishes new or amended rules. Revisit the official entry when regulations update, when the product's technical parameters change, or when the destination, end-user, or end-use of a transaction changes.
What do the control reason codes mean?
Each control reason (NS, RS, MT, AT, etc.) maps to a column on the Commerce Country Chart in Supplement No. 1 to part 738 of the EAR. When a control reason applies to your ECCN and the destination country has an X in that column, a license is generally required unless an exception applies. See the Control Reasons Explained section on this page for details on each code.

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