Kelvin Hughes has installed and commissioned a SharpEye radar system on SAS Drakensberg, the South African Navy’s fleet replenishment ship.
The equipment system is comprised of X and S Band SharpEye radars, International Mariime Organization (IMO) compliant displays, and a dedicated tactical interface, with a Kelvin Hughes advanced agile tracker for approach and control.
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SAS Drakensberg, which is designed to operate two large helicopters simultaneously, will benefit from the control and tracking capability provided by Kelvin Hughes radar system.
Helicopter control functionality can also be integrated into a multifunction SharpEye system, which supports navigation and collision avoidance, depending on the size of vessel and the frequency of helideck landing and take-off.
The SharpEye solid-state radar transceiver emits a low-power, patented pulse sequence, incorporating pulse compression, which allows superior range discrimination across all range scales. This implies that several operators can have access to an optimum picture at both a long and short range simultaneously.
Doppler radar processing offers information regarding a target’s velocity, and improves the probability of detection of small objects with a low radar cross section.
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By GlobalDataSharpEye, through a series of electronic filters, can differentiate between targets of interest and clutter, while customisable waveforms can be configured for specific threats, enhancing the detection of targets of interest, such as UAVs and helicopters.
Further, the radar’s low power output cuts down the probability of detection by enemy electronic support measures (ESM) equipment.
According to Kelvin Hughes regional sales manager Mark Butler, the SharpEye radar system is being used across 27 navies worldwide.
In March, Kelvin Hughes was selected by Lockheed Martin to install SharpEye radars on more than 60 UK Royal Navy (RN), and Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) ships, submarines and shore facilities.
Image: Kelvin Hughes installed SharpEye radar on South African Navy’s fleet replenishment ship. Photo: courtesy of Kelvin Hughes Limited.
