Kelvin Hughes details UK supply contract

Kelvin Hughes will supply its SharpEye radar for more than 60 Royal Navy (RN) and Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) ships, submarines and shore facilities, the company announced on 21 March.

The company will work with Lockheed Martin Integrated Systems UK to provide the systems to the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD). Vessels to be fitted with the radar include the RN’s Type 23 frigates, Hunt and Sandown class Mine Counter Measure Vessels, RFA support vessels and fast patrol boats as well as the Astute, Trafalgar and Vanguard class submarines.

Shore facilities HMS Collingwood in Hampshire, HMS Raleigh in Cornwall, and the Land Based Test Site at Portsdown Technology Park in Hampshire, will also receive SharpEye equipment. 

The contract with Lockheed Martin also includes options for the introduction of navigation radar systems for future RN platforms such as the Queen Elizabeth carriers, the Type 26 Global Combat Ship and Successor submarines.

The SharpEye solid-state radar transceiver transmits a low power, patented pulse sequence incorporating pulse compression that enables superior range discrimination across all range scales.  This means that multiple operators can have access to an optimum picture at both long and short ranges simultaneously.  

Doppler processing of radar returns provides coherent information concerning a target’s velocity and improves the probability of detection of small objects with a low Radar Cross Section. Through a series of electronic filters, SharpEye is able to distinguish between targets of interest and clutter whilst customisable waveforms can be configured for specific threats and to enhance the detection of specific targets of interest such as UAVs and helicopters. The radar’s low power output also reduces the probability of detection by enemy ESM equipment.

Rohan Dearlove, UK maritime sales director, Kelvin Hughes, said: ‘This is excellent news for us and we’re looking forward to working with Lockheed Martin to equip the RN and RFA fleets with our world beating SharpEye radar. The provision of SharpEye under this contract supports the MoD’s desire for technological convergence, with similar radars being already in service with the fleet and selected for MoD programmes such as the Tide class tankers and the new OPVs.’