Kelvin Hughes - Experts & Thought Leaders

HENSOLDT UK has supplied a radar suite consisting of Kelvin Hughes Mk11 S and X Band radar systems to the Philippine Navy frigate BRP Jose Rizal, recently delivered by Hyundai Heavy Industries. The SharpEye Mk11 radars are approved by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and take advantage of the Kelvin Hughes’ advanced solid state SharpEye Doppler technology that brings full situational awareness to the users even in the most severe weather conditions. The solid-state SharpEye transceivers are located upmost in the carbon composite turning unit housing and bring additional benefits such as ease of installation and high reliability. The use of a direct drive motor system, rather than the traditional antenna rotator gearbox, reduces maintenance. Radar sensor suite This is one of the first complete HENSOLDT radar suites to be delivered and includes HENSOLDT’s TRS-3D, a three-dimensional multimode naval radar for air and sea surveillance. The TRS-3D includes a secondary radar MSSR 2000 I for Identification-friend-or-foe (IFF) as well as the SharpEye Mk11 radars. Adrian Pilbeam, Head of Sales at HENSOLDT UK, commented: “HENSOLDT UK is pleased to be part of the modernization of the Philippine Navy. The supply radar sensor suite from HENSOLDT demonstrates the strength of the combined group in providing complete Naval radar solutions.” A sister ship, BRP Antonio Luna, is still under construction at Hyundai Heavy Industries and will be delivered later this year.

The two X Band radars provide high resolution radar pictures 24 hours a day in all weather conditions Kelvin Hughes, a global supplier of surveillance and navigation systems, can announce that they have recently supplied two SharpEyeTM Solid State X Band surveillance radars to the Maryland Natural Resources Police (MPRP), to provide additional coverage around protected oyster beds. The SharpEyeTM radars are key sensors in the MNRP Maritime Law Enforcement Information Network (MLEIN), whose mission is to secure the 3,100 miles of Maryland coastline. The system was launched in the autumn of 2013, with the first detection of illegal activity taking place shortly after. The two X Band radars provide high resolution radar pictures 24 hours a day in all weather conditions, and these images are transmitted to officers in the field in real time. The information is shared with other government and law enforcement agencies, to assist in detecting illegal activities or help with search and rescue operations on the water. The solid state radars are ideal for the MNRP’s application as they enable the detection of small, low radar cross section targets, such as the boats typically used by oyster poachers. One such incident occurred in Tangier Sound, with two poachers apprehended by an officer watching his laptop as the cameras and radar units of the MLEIN tracked the watermen. Officer John Bromley of the MNRP said: “MLEIN was a definite asset on the water and enhanced our ability to respond to the situation. It was like having an extra pair of eyes on the patrol boat.” Other benefits that led to the MNRP’s selection of SharpEye™ include enhanced detection of small targets in heavy rain and high sea states; and the advanced detection in poor conditions allowed by the patented pulse sequence and Doppler processing. Adrian Pilbeam, Vice President of Kelvin Hughes LLC said, “SharpEye™ radars provide MNRP with reliable, low maintenance surface search radar. Detection of small targets was critical in the selection of the radar, which already has assisted MNRP in successfully intercepting illegal activity.” Enhanced enforcement is one of the goals under Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley’s 10-point Oyster Restoration and Aquaculture Development Plan. In 2011, he signed a sweeping law that included stricter penalties for both egregious first-time and serial offenders. The SharpEyeTM radars ensure the poachers have nowhere to hide.

The SharpEye solid-state radar allows authorities to control the area Kelvin Hughes, a world leader in the design and supply of navigation and surveillance systems, is delighted to announce the permanent installation of an S-Band SharpEye radar and antenna on Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean. An Australian territory, located 2,600 kilometres northwest of Perth, Christmas Island has been regularly used by immigrants and asylum seekers as a pathway to obtaining refugee status. This has placed significant pressure on the Australian government with its duty of care requirements, creating a need for a permanent radar installation on the island. Drawcom Pty Ltd based in Victoria, Australia selected Kelvin Hughes to supply a SharpEye solution for the Defense Science and Technology Organization (DSTO), part of Australia’s Department of Defense, because of the industry-leading operational capabilities of the company’s SharpEye radar. The vessels typically used to transport asylum seekers are small, slow-moving, wooden boats with an inherently low Radar Cross Section (RCS). Unlike traditional magnetron radar systems, the SharpEye, with its solid state technology and Doppler processing, is able to detect these craft reliably even in the difficult sea states that can occur off the coast of Christmas Island. Following the success of a trial that began in August 2011 involving a semi-permanent structure, the SharpEye radar has now been installed on a permanent tower. Providing coastal surveillance of the northern maritime approaches to the island, with the raw radar feed being transmitted directly to a control center in Adelaide, the installation is now playing a critical role in managing border control as well as safety at sea. It can be a challenge for the authorities to control the area, given high sea states, a large geographical spread and the continued threat of asylum seekers. SharpEye solid-state radar allows authorities to better meet these challenges. Russell Gould, CEO Kelvin Hughes, commented: “The decision by the DSTO to select SharpEye is a further validation of the system’s technological superiority. Providing effective maritime surveillance off the coast of Christmas Island calls for the ability to separate targets from clutter even in adverse weather conditions.”

Every Security System Has a Story Our industry’s technology solutions are at work almost everywhere, if you think about it. You might see Kelvin Hughes high-resolution radar pictures providing protection for Maryland’s oyster beds. At the 2014 Oscars, Axis pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) cameras kept watch around the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles. At The Marque, an exclusive membership club in Houston, Texas, MorphoTrak 3D facial recognition technology secures access and enables the club to be “exclusive.” These are just a few examples of the many ways security technology is at work every day around the world. I came across them when browsing through SourceSecurity.com’s Application section. Every system has a history. Each application of security technology has a story behind it, and more and more supplier companies are seeing the value of telling those stories. Sometimes, it’s not easy to get the stories out there. Suppliers have to browbeat their dealer/integrator partners to identify interesting ways their equipment is being used in the field, and then they have to work with each end user customer to collect the details of the story and to get the information written down and distributed. Showcasing Value with Success Stories In the end, the application stories tell as much about our industry than anything else. Application case studies are about our successes. They demonstrate the value of our products and equipment in terms that any end user or integrator can understand. Simply put, application stories confirm that our industry’s products really work. Case studies are about happy customers – the best kind – so of course manufacturers want those stories told and retold. I personally love to hear how security technology is working in the real world. Application stories take the abstract concepts and technology jargon we hear every day and translate them into something concrete and understandable. This was our problem. Here’s how we solved it. These are our results. As a broad-ranging digital publisher dedicated to security systems and technology, SourceSecurity.com leverages its Applications to enable every supplier to share their successes. And technology makes it easy to search for content specific to any situation. I find it interesting just to browse through the various articles to see the diverse range of ways equipment is used. Definitely worth a look.