HENSOLDT UK to equip Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships with surveillance radar and ATM systems

HENSOLDT UK has been selected by Navantia UK to provide key systems to the UK Royal Fleet Auxiliary’s (RFA) three new Fleet Solid Support (FSS) ships. The new vessels will incorporate Quadome Naval 3D Air and Surface Surveillance Radar, Air Traffic Management (ATM) systems and Kelvin Hughes Integrated Navigation Bridge Systems (INBS).

The FSS ships will help support the replenishment operations of the Royal Navy’s Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers.

HENSOLDT will supply its new-generation Quadome 3D radar, which features software-defined active electronically scanned array (AESA) technology. The system is capable of simultaneous 3D air and surface surveillance with multiple specialist modes of operation. Quadome includes an integrated Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) antenna and will integrate into the HENSOLDT MSSR 2000 IFF interrogator, already deployed for the UK Royal Navy and RFA. A comprehensive ATM display solution is also included as part of this contract award.

HENSOLDT will also supply the Kelvin Hughes INBS including SharpEye naval navigation radars and multifunction displays. The INBS can be customised to meet specific operational and technical needs, including redundancy and security options. The Kelvin Hughes INBS and SharpEye radars are already operational onboard the RFA Tide Class tankers and other RFA ships. HENSOLDT UK will design, construct, test and provide lifelong support for the INBS.

As a result of these contracts HENSOLDT will be investing over GBP1M into its Enfield factory and test facilities in order to create a new European support hub for Quadome radars.