Industry: New Zealand Anzac Frigates Upgrade to SharpEye

Kelvin Hughes has been awarded a contract to supply SharpEye™ radars with an Agile Tracker to the New Zealand (NZ) Ministry of Defence as part of the Lockheed Martin Canada prime contract for the Frigate Systems Upgrade project.

Kelvin Hughes will be supplying their market leading S-Band solid state upmast 2D navigation and surveillance radar SharpEye™, for two ship sets along with their tactical Naval MantaDigital™ display software and processors. The NZ Ministry of Defence has also selected Kelvin Hughes’ agile tracker option providing advanced target tracking capability for low level air and surface based targets.

The contract covers the supply of the advanced upmast SharpEye™ sensor, integrated housing and turning unit, antenna assembly, radar processor, software and integration with the combat management system, along with project deliverables from installation to sea acceptance, training and in-service support.

Industry: SharpEye for Christmas Island Coastal Surveillance

Kelvin Hughes is delighted to announce the permanent installation of an S-Band SharpEye™ radar and antenna on Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean.

An Australian territory, located 2,600 kilometres northwest of Perth, Christmas Island has been regularly used by immigrants and asylum seekers as a pathway to obtaining refugee status. This has placed significant pressure on the Australian government with its duty of care requirements, creating a need for a permanent radar installation on the island.

Drawcom Pty Ltd based in Victoria, Australia selected Kelvin Hughes to supply a SharpEye™ solution for the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO), part of Australia’s Department of Defence, because of the industry-leading operational capabilities of the company’s SharpEye™ radar. The vessels typically used to transport asylum seekers are small, slow-moving, wooden boats with an inherently low Radar Cross Section (RCS). Unlike traditional magnetron radar systems, the SharpEye™, with its solid state technology and Doppler processing, is able to detect these craft reliably even in the difficult sea states that can occur off the coast of Christmas Island.

Following the success of a trial that began in August 2011 involving a semi-permanent structure, the SharpEye™ radar has now been installed on a permanent tower. Providing coastal surveillance of the northern maritime approaches to the island, with the raw radar feed being transmitted directly to a control centre in Adelaide, the installation is now playing a critical role in managing border control as well as safety at sea.

It can be a challenge for the authorities to control the area, given high sea states, a large geographical spread and the continued threat of asylum seekers. SharpEye™ solid-state radar allows authorities to better meet these challenges.

Russell Gould, CEO Kelvin Hughes, commented: “The decision by the DSTO to select SharpEye™ is a further validation of the system’s technological superiority. Providing effective maritime surveillance off the coast of Christmas Island calls for the ability to separate targets from clutter even in adverse weather conditions.”

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Coastal Surveillance Solution for Indonesian Islands

SharpEye System

Kelvin Hughes Surveillance business have deployed two land-based radar coastal surveillance systems in Indonesia to monitor the waters around Tual a city in Maluku province located in Kei Islands, and Merauke a town considered to be one of the easternmost towns in Indonesia, located in Merauke Regency, Papua province, next to the Maro River.

The project will be delivered in partnership with PT. Warga Kusuma Jaya, and is part of a wider programme by the Government of Indonesia to implement a shore-based coastal surveillance system throughout the region.

The Indonesian island region is very demanding on radar design and is typically a heavy rain environment.

Kelvin Hughes’ Surveillance was engaged by PT. Warga Kusuma Jaya due to the ability of its high-grade SharpEye™ solid state radar sensor, which outperforms other sensor technologies, especially in bad weather and sea clutter conditions.

The coastal surveillance solution includes the supply of the SBS-800-51 system a S-Band solid-state SharpEye™ radar transceiver and antenna, as well as the installation of the systems on radar masts on each island.

The SBS radar systems are fully remote controlled, designed for continuous operation and achieve extremely high range accuracy and target discrimination in range and azimuth.

A further differentiator of the SBS solid state radar solution is its full weather adaptability – the SharpEye™ system adapts automatically to changes in the weather and environmental conditions without the need for any operator intervention.

As part of the agreement, Kelvin Hughes will also provide performance training sessions to the integration company at both its headquarters in Essex, as well as locally in Indonesia.

Robert Kleist, business development director of coastal surveillance at Kelvin Hughes, said: “With over 60 Kelvin Hughes SharpEye™ solid state sensors installed in Coastal Surveillance and VTS applications worldwide, the solution has now become the new standard in coastal surveillance technology”.

“The Indonesian region is typically a heavy rain environment. Target discrimination and detection is therefore very difficult in heavy rain and high-sea state conditions or clutter”.

“SharpEye™ through its unique pulse sequences and Doppler processing is able to manage and reject the clutter leaving a clear radar picture, which meets the surveillance demands and provides full situational awareness for the Indonesian coastal authorities”.

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Kelvin Hughes to launch compact naval radar for watercraft during Pacific 2012

SharpEye (File Photo)

Kelvin Hughes will launch its innovative SharpEye™ SCV radar surveillance system to the Asia Pacific market during Pacific 2012.

Kelvin Hughes has designed the new low-power radome radar surveillance system for watercraft operating in blue-water, littoral and riverine environments.

The SharpEye™ SCV 50W system has been tailor-made to enhance small boat situational awareness on craft up to 35m. The SCV has been designed for special forces, raiding teams, boarding and search and rescue missions. The technology is applicable to a range of craft such as RHIBs, insertion craft, combat boats, USVs,SAR craft and hovercraft.

The SCV system incorporates SharpEye™'s I (X) band solid state technology, replacing the traditional magnetron based systems with a fully coherent solid-state transceiver, in a lightweight, environmentally sealed unit designed for harsh environments.

Despite its size, the SCV version offers the enhanced performance and reliability afforded by the higher power SharpEye™ radar, with a 24 inch antenna and integrated transceiver.

Greatly reduced radar mass and reduced physical footprint of the SharpEye™ transceiver, enables the SharpEye™ SCV to overcome the inherent performance limitations of commercial type navigation radars in cluttered environments.

Barry Wade, managing director Kelvin Hughes Surveillance Systems said: We are very excited to be launching SharpEye™ SCV to the region during Pacific 2012.

SharpEye™ SCV enables a discreet means of building an organic surveillance picture out to the horizon, so reducing reliance on external communications links and informing real-time tactical decision making.

The SCV also presents small craft operators with a high-quality radar picture via a chosen display option, tailored to their requirements.

The SharpEye™ SCV display system can be tailored dependent on client requirements. Compact display options are available for smaller craft with MantaDigital™, Legacy 3rd party tactical and COTS 3rd party marine display systems.

Kelvin Hughes SharpEye™ SCV will be on display in the AIDN group area (6D19) during the commercial maritime and defence showcase, which takes place at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre between 31 January and 3 February.

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Kelvin Hughes ensures radar meets evolving client needs

Kelvin Hughes has developed one of its leading radar products to incorporate a new suite of software and hardware upgrades.

The Naval MantaDigital™ (NMD) is a tactical radar display system that delivers exceptional performance with low through-life costs.

The new upgraded NMD features include a fully ruggedized pedestal and user interface option produced from 7000 series aluminium (where shock and vibration resistance is required), with grab handles either side of the TFT display. It also adheres to the low smoke requirements of modern navy operational and ATC rooms and has an enhanced helicopter landing mode to assist in rotorcraft recovery to deck.

The NMD combined with SharpEye™ solid state radar approved to IMO and IEC standards has recently completed final acceptance testing for the Royal Australian navy as a Short Range Helicopter Control Radar (SRHCR) and has also been integrated into the maritime systems of the Irish Naval Service.

Barry Wade, Director Kelvin Hughes Surveillance Systems said: We are committed to meeting the developing security and situational awareness needs of customers at sea and on land.

The new options for the NMD ensure that it remains at the forefront of technological innovation. The Fibre Optic slave display facility provides crisp images over extended distances and there is the option of ARPA or CRONIUSTM Advanced tracker produced in conjunction with QinetiQ.

The NMD can be a stand-alone radar system or provide multi-function capability when integrated into a bridge system. NMD also offers a fully integrated bespoke package for the individual specifications of the client.

The NMD's capabilities can be enhanced when combined with Kelvin Hughes' SharpEye™ radar transceiver. Key features include:

• Full tactical features and display
• SharpEye™ radar control
• Enhanced Target Detection (ETD) mode
• Dual radar PPI or camera view capability for enhanced situational awareness
• Electronic Chart and Display Systems/Warship Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS/WECDIS) overlay functionality
• Automatic acquisition zones
• Integral simulator
• Man over-board management
• Route planning and monitoring functionality
• ARPA/AIS contact fusion

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