Prairie-Masker

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Prairie-Masker is a radiated noise reduction system fitted to some^{[clarification needed]} western warships, including the Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates, Spruance and Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, and the Ticonderoga-class cruisers of the US Navy. The system was also installed during the 1960s on a limited number of post WWII Guppy III modified, and later diesel submarines.^[1]

The Masker and Prairie systems are designed to prevent the classification or identification of a warship's acoustic signature by another vessel, i.e. by a hostile submarine. Instead of hearing machinery, the ship sounds^{[according to whom?]} similar to rain on passive sonar. The Masker portion of the system is installed onto the hull of a vessel, usually near its machinery spaces. The Prairie portion of the system is designed to silence the vessel's propellers. Originally classified top secret, these systems are now used by several countries^{[example needed]} as part of their antisubmarine warfare systems.