Submarine Radar Technology

April 1, 2017

Kelvin Hughes
Enfield, UK
+44 19 9280 5200
www.kelvinhughes.com

Kelvin Hughes recently announced that it has developed a way to bring all the benefits of its innovative SharpEye™ radar technology to submarines.

Traditionally, submarines only use radar for navigation in and out of port because a high power RF transmission 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 systems – SharpEye™ can significantly reduce the probability of detection by ESM (Electronic Support Measures) systems.

Due to the solid state technology at the heart of SharpEye™, it is now possible, for the first time, to locate the X-band transceiver downmast within the pressure hull, making use of the existing bulkhead infrastructure and the existing external antenna, rotational drive and waveguide connections. The downmast transceiver enclosure measures only 743 ¥ 487 ¥ 330 mm.

In addition, the Doppler processing of the radar returns means it can detect more targets, earlier and at a longer range. Delivering improvements in sub-clutter visibility of approximately 30dB, SharpEye™ can identify targets with a low Radar Cross Section (RCS), typically 0.5m2, even in adverse weather conditions. A series of electronic filters enables SharpEye™ to distinguish between targets of interest and sea and rain clutter.

With its patented pulse sequence, SharpEye™ enables multiple users to see the optimum picture simultaneously regardless of the radar range scale in use at each display. The Sharp-Eye™ system can either be installed on new-build submarines or retrofitted to existing boats.

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