The Royal Navy will fit new navigation radars to over 60 surface ships, submarines and shore facilities.
UK’s Ministry of Defence awarded the £44 million equipment contract to Hampshire based Lockheed Martin Integrated Systems UK. Under the contract, the company will modernise ship and submarine navigation systems which are critical for safe navigation at sea.
Over the next five years, the MOD’s Navigation Radar Programme will replace existing radars fitted across the fleet and shore facilities with solid-state SharpEye™ radar transceivers designed and developed in the UK by Kelvin Hughes in Enfield North London.
According to the Ministry of Defence, 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 contract also includes options for the introduction of the navigation radars to future Royal Navy platforms such as the Queen Elizabeth Carriers, the Type 26 Global Combat Ship, and Successor submarines.
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 £178 billion in defence equipment and support, to help to ensure the UK can respond to diverse threats around the world.”
Five shore facilities will also benefit from the new technology which provides a highly reliable and safe collision avoidance system. This includes equipment for training at HMS Collingwood, in Hampshire, HMS Raleigh, in Cornwall, and at the Land Based Test Site at Portsdown Technology Park in Hampshire.
The Ministry further said that the contract with Lockheed Martin will cover the demonstration, manufacture and in-service support for the system, providing the optimal technically compliant solution and best value for money for the Royal Navy. It will sustain 14 jobs at Lockheed Martin’s Havant facility and create five additional roles in the company.