The prime contractor for the construction of Royal Navy’s new Type 26 frigates has contracted Brüel & Kjær to deliver a hull vibration monitoring system (HVME) for the new class of ships.
The system is supposed to reduce a ship’s radiated noise signature providing self-noise monitoring capabilities to ensure management of the ships acoustic signature.
Designed to replace the eight Anti-Submarine Warfare variant Type 23 frigates, the Type 26 will be a world-class ASW warship, designed to undertake a number of roles – from high-intensity warfare to humanitarian assistance – and will operate independently or as part of a task group.
Construction on the first ship in the class is expected to start this summer.
Brüel & Kjær said their HVME system comprises a network of commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) sensors, data acquisition, and vibration measurement/analysis and listening capabilities. Acoustic signature management is made by monitoring structure-borne noise, and presents vibro-acoustic information to aid ship staff in the control of machinery, hydrodynamic and propeller cavitation noise sources.
According to the company, the HVME provides control of the radiated sound of the ship via permanently installed sensor arrays mounted internally to the ships structure. HVME provides continuous vibration monitoring of the ship’s hull and assists crew in maintaining a low noise signature.