Kelvin Hughes To Supply SharpEye Submarine Radar Systems To Canadian Navy

[Zarvan]

Kelvin Hughes To Supply SharpEye Submarine Radar Systems To Canadian Navy

Kelvin Hughes has won a contract to supply its SharpEye downmast submarine navigation radar in support of the Royal Canadian Navy’s sustainment program.

Two of the navy’s Victoria-class long range patrol submarines, currently equipped with Kelvin Hughes 1007 radar, are to be upgraded with the company’s new SharpEye system. With solid-state technology at its heart, the I-Band transceiver uses the existing bulkhead infrastructure as well as the external antenna, rotational drive and waveguide connections.

Doppler processing of the radar returns means that surface contacts can be detected earlier and at longer range. A series of electronic filters enables the system to distinguish between contacts of interest, including those with a low Radar Cross Section, and the environmental clutter caused by adverse weather conditions.

Traditionally, submarines have only used radar for navigation in and out of port because high power RF transmissions can compromise its ability to remain undetected. However, with its low power output – up to 300W as opposed to the 25kW of legacy submarine radar equipment - SharpEye can significantly reduce the probability of detection by ESM systems.

Adrian Pilbeam, Kelvin Hughes’ Vice President Kelvin Hughes LLC, commented: “This upgrade for the Royal Canadian Navy is a further example of the growing interest in our SharpEye downmast submarine variant and highlights the need for submarines to be equipped with modern high performance radar rather than the legacy magnetron systems that many of them are still using”.

http://www.defenseworld.net/news/18...e_Radar_Systems_To_Canadian_Navy#.WOW871V97IU

 

[Penguin]

Canada should acquire 12 new submarines, senate report says

The current fleet of four Victoria-class submarines is inadequate to provide an effective presence in three oceans and a much larger fleet is required, report says. Photo: Royal Canadian Navy

The Canadian Navy should acquire 12 new submarines with air independent propulsion, members of the Canadian standing senate defense committee recommended in their report released on Monday.

Titled ‘Reinvesting in the Canadian Armed Forces: A plan for the future’, the report suggests that the defense spending increase to 2% of the GDP in the next eleven years should be used to acquire the submarines, among other high-value items.

The 12 submarines should be distributed equally between the country’s two coasts.

The report also calls for the acquisition of a second Resolve-class auxiliary oiler replenishment ship and another 18 surface combatant vessels.

Furthermore, the replacement of maritime coastal defense vessels should be accelerated to allow for the acquisition of mine countermeasure vessels and destroyers.

The committee also expressed concerned over the capabilities of the Arctic Offshore Patrol Ships (AOPS) that are currently under construction. According to the report, the reason for this was the fact that these ships cannot operate in ice more than a meter thick, are slower than a BC Ferry, can only operate in the arctic from June to October and will require a coast guard escort when in the northern waters.

Another recommendation was the procurement of Aegis battle systems or a similar styled platform.

“Such an investment will allow for the meaningful protection of Canada’s naval fleet; the ability to stop threats; the ability to determine the sequence of response to an attack; the ability to determine protection of ships and in what order, and it will allow, most importantly for the survival of the fleet if attacked,” the report said.

http://navaltoday.com/2017/05/09/canada-should-acquire-12-new-submarines-senate-report-says/

Maybe talk to the Australians? Canada has simiarly long sea lanes to protect.