Lockheed Martin Integrated Systems UK has won a £44m contract from the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) to install navigation radars on more than 60 Royal Navy ships.
Under the contract, the company will modernise ship and submarine navigation systems to ensure safe navigation at sea.
UK Defence Minister Philip Dunne said: "The replacement of navigation radars across more than 60 ships, submarines and shore facilities will see the Royal Navy receive the latest generation of digital radar systems which set the standard for the future.
"This has been as a direct result of our pledge to invest £178bn in defence equipment and support, to help to ensure the UK can respond to diverse threats around the world."
The radars will be fitted to the Royal Navy’s Type 23 frigates, Hunt and Sandown-class mine counter measure vessels, Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels, fast patrol boats, as well as the Astute, Trafalgar and Vanguard-class submarines.
The installation is aimed at rendering a modern design to the ships and submarine navigation systems to facilitate safe navigation on the sea.
The five-year navigation radar programme will replace the existing radars fitted into the ship and shore facilities with solid-state SharpEye radar transceivers, designed and manufactured in the UK by Kelvin Hughes.
The contract will also explore options to incorporate navigation radars to future Royal Navy platforms, such as Queen Elizabeth Carriers, the Type 26 Global Combat Ship, and Successor submarines.
A collision avoidance system is one of the features to be provided to five shore facilities, according to the contract, including provision of training facilities at HMS Collingwood in Hampshire, HMS Raleigh in Cornwall, and at the Land Based Test Site at Portsdown Technology Park in Hampshire.
The contract, which will entail demonstration, manufacture and in-service support for the system for the Royal Navy, will generate 14 jobs at Lockheed Martin’s Havant facility and create five additional roles in the company.
Image: An image of Royal Navy’s Type 23 frigate. Photo: courtesy of Crown copyright.
