BMTI Antennas and Radio Communications Systems for Naval Vessels and Submarines

BMTI has nearly 30 years’ experience as a leading supplier of antennas and antenna systems for military submarine and surface vessels.

Radio equipment and antennas for marine and submarine applications

BMTI offers a complete range of antennas for marine and submarine applications in the field of defence, as well as a complete range of interface products between radio equipment and antennas (couplers and switches, antenna supports). BMTI also develops turnkey solutions for global antenna systems or communication buoys.

Our “radio communication” activity harnesses all key aspects of the technology available to it and has a considerable array of R&D and production resources, such as:

• Electronic studies, including radio frequency technology, commutation, coupling, filtering and power measurements
• Controller research, including command and control, and TCP/IP network integration
• Operating software
• RF studies, including antenna modelling (EMC 2000), near and far-field calculations, functional EMC, personnel safety (DREP), and ERS calculations
• Model and trial measurements
• Test aids up to 3Ghz

Communications systems for naval surface vessels

Communication systems for surface vessels represent BMTI’s traditional niche and the “core” of its business. Through its involvement in all major programmes, the company has positioned itself as a technical and commercial leader in this sector.

Prestigious vessels such as the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier, French frigates (Lafayette, Horizon) and numerous international programmes (Sawari, Delta, Sigma) are equipped with BMTI antennas.

Antenna systems for surface vessels

In numerous cases, BMTI has produced and deployed complete antenna systems. Besides supplying antennas covering various frequencies (VLF/HF, HF, V/UHF), BMTI supplies all necessary equipment for routing transmitted and received signals (multicouplers) and installing antennas (specific supports) in vessels. In particular, BMTI has deployed such global systems in ambitious programmes such as BPC (Projection and Command Vessel) and FREMM frigates.

Communications for submarines

The combination of various technologies developed by BMTI offers solutions that are particularly suited to the submarine industry and its specific requirements. The high-tech skills of BMTI engineers in radio frequency and composites have made it possible to develop highly compact multifunction antennas and protective radomes, which are particularly suited to the constraints of this type of vessel.

BMTI’s products and technologies have enabled the company to participate in prestigious programmes, such as the French Navy’s nuclear attack submarines and device-launching nuclear submarines, as well as numerous export programmes (Agosta, Scorpène). BMTI is currently continuing its development in this sector and contributes to the Barracuda class submarine project.