Surveillance, critical asset protection, security and policing tasks, or search-and-rescue operations are among the typical missions of naval vessels today, among them offshore patrol vessels and coast guard vessels. In addition to navigating through challenging maritime areas with a high sea traffic intensity, crews on board may need to identify suspicious objects, coordinate a helicopter approach or share mission data with other units. Each situation demands a clear and precise analysis.

This is why crews aboard naval vessels require reliable information of the prevalent navigational situation and an immediate, comprehensive maritime picture of the surface and air domain. In order to fulfil these requirements, many ships carry radars for navigation, but also specialised radars to perform surveillance and tactical operations. In times of software-based applications for navigation and missions that are sensor-agnostic, there are state-of-the-art solutions which streamline processes on board and make bridge equipment more efficient.

Anschütz, a specialist in naval navigation systems, has developed Naval Radar NX, a highly efficient and tailor-made solution for these requirements.

As a radar system with high-performance target detection, Naval Radar NX not only helps crews to avoid collisions and navigate safely, but also effectively supports the tactical operations and versatile naval missions they carry out.

Customers benefit from the highly accurate radar performance for both navigation and mission, seeing a realistic and more precise situational picture without the need for specially trained operators or for maintaining a separate surveillance radar station on board.

High performance with navigation and surveillance radars

Naval Radar NX is MED type-approved as a navigational radar system in combination with a classical magnetron-based radar, a commercial solid-state radar, and also the renowned Terma’s SCANTER solid-state surveillance radars.

On larger naval vessels, Terma’s SCANTER 6002 solid-state pulse compression radars close the gap between the expensive 3D phased array radars and the magnetron-based navigation radars, representing state-of-the-art solid-state radar features and superior detection capability. Smaller vessels can use Anschütz radar transceivers or Terma’s SCANTER 2602 solid-state transceivers.

The Naval Radar NX application enhances the advantages of the radar transceivers with an advanced target tracker and patented technology for optimised suppression, filtering and target presentation. Constant False Alarm Rate (CFAR) algorithms are used to evaluate radar returns and generate knowledge about the clutter situation in order to identify false returns from disturbances like waves or precipitation, and to improve the visibility of the radar picture.

The integrated target management allows target association between tactical targets and the implemented certified Automatic Radar Plotting Aid (ARPA) target tracker. The operator is able to select operational modes for the target management: tactical targets including air targets associated with ARPA targets, or only targets from the tactical tracker, or only targets from the ARPA tracker applying IEC 62388 symbology.

Built under employment of a modern and clearly structured user interface, Naval Radar NX is easy to operate and reduces the time and effort required for training and familiarisation. Users can adapt the display to the currently required information and seamlessly switch between the user interfaces for either navigation or tactical and specialised operation, such as helicopter guidance. The whole thing is kept simple without overloading the user.

Features from navigation to helo guidance and tactical operation

Beyond the integration of transceivers and tactical targets, Naval Radar NX adds tailor-made features for naval platforms, starting with helicopter (helo) guidance.

The helo landing grid unveils its power in the Naval Radar NX in combination with SCANTER’s motion target indicator and its filtering through the tactical target tracker. Due to the special helo profile of the SCANTER transceiver, a continuous tracking from horizon up to close ship distances is possible.

Following this, the software tracks and monitors the landing on the ship’s helicopter pad. It processes the additional data and further ship information, and provides special overlays and calculations on the display. This enables the operator to safely guide the helicopter crew during their landing approach. The ship-based helicopter guidance is also possible for landing areas or pads on shore.

Other features of Naval Radar NX are geo-zones with integrated alarm functions, search-and-rescue and extended intercept functionalities, and a formation manager to lead a group of naval platforms.

Radar video merging technology is available for larger vessels that need to combine multiple radars’ views to create a one-display, 360-degree view.

More integrated solutions allow for the integration of an Asterix server software to share the radar video with third-party applications, such as dedicated systems for oil spill detection radars, ice radars, weather/wave radars and intrusion detection or combat management systems.

NATO-proven naval radar system

Anschütz has supplied Naval Radar NX to several navies from NATO countries. The combination of surveillance functions with navigational tasks in a single radar software with full MED type approvals offers multiple benefits. Customers save costs and space for a dedicated tactical console, while they can still benefit from tactical function in addition to pure navigation. There is also less need for training, as both functions share the same user interface and operation philosophy.

Visit the product page to learn more about Naval Radar NX.