Kelvin Hughes has announced that it will be supplying its SharpEye Downmast Submarine Navigation radar to support 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, will be upgraded to 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 300 W as opposed to the 25 kW of legacy submarine radar equipment - SharpEye can significantly reduce the probability of detection by ESM (Electronic Support Measures) systems.
The Victoria-class submarines, acquired from the Royal Navy in the 1990s by Canada, can operate in the Arctic, Pacific and Atlantic approaches to Canada and have the flexibility to undertake a wide range of missions, significantly extending the Royal Canadian Navy’s tactical and strategic capabilities. These radars will replace the legacy magnetron systems that are being used in the subs.
