bridge_systems

The evolution of naval integrated bridge systems

Seventeen years ago, the first commanding officer stepped onto the bridge of the corvette "Braunschweig", the German Navy's newest ship at the time. "Technological madness" was his comment on the first Integrated Navigation and Bridge System (INBS) the German Navy had put into service. Since the first integrated bridge systems entered service on naval vessels, both the operational requirements and technological capabilities have evolved.

The INBS of the "Braunschweig" was developed and built by Anschütz. This was followed by INBSs for the UK Royal Navy's Type 45 Daring class destroyers and, over time, numerous other naval vessels for German and international navies. Today, INBSs are the state of the art and standard in naval vessel specifications, and Anschütz has established itself as a technologically leading supplier and integrator of customised navigation and bridge systems for this type of vessel.

Evolution of mission profiles and capability requirements

A comprehensive set of requirements has been developed for NATO country modern surface combatants. These capability requirements result primarily from the common mission scenarios of these ships which can range from traditional warfare, reconnaissance and surveillance to convoy and escort protection or support for humanitarian missions. They also include global readiness and a high degree of autonomy, enabling extended missions without shore support.

In addition to combat and defence capabilities, the main requirements for ship equipment are high operational availability, flexibility and adaptability to support different missions, and interoperability.

INBS requirements for naval vessels

The specific requirements for INBSs onboard naval vessels result from a combination of capability requirements and technological progress.

High operational availability requires a high degree of maturity of the technologies used, including security and stability under intensive use. This involves the management of built-in redundancies and fail-safe mechanisms. Similarly, reliable and accurate data from on-board navigation sensors must be available for faultless and safe sailing. INBSs on naval vessels must also always comply with current IMO regulations and IEC standards for on-board navigation and communication systems.

The following trends in requirements are also emerging:

  • High level of integration and interoperability
    A seamless integration of all navigation, communication, surveillance and Combat Management Systems (CMSs) enables collaboration, joint mission planning and coordinated, effective decision-making. It provides the crew with an accurate, real-time picture of the situation, enhancing the situational awareness and enabling correct decision-making from any workstation on the bridge and, if necessary, in conjunction with other vessels.
  • Fleet commonality
    Fleet commonality standardises systems and sensors and reduces costs through a standard in-service logistics chain, including infrastructure, training, spares and maintenance. Furthermore, interoperability and an increasing operational readiness of the fleet can be achieved. The ability of the INBS to integrate with existing customer fleetwide sensors, systems or IT infrastructure further enhances this capability.
  • Cyber defence and network security
    As the importance of high-performance communications and data networks grows, so does the need for cyber defence and network security. This involves solutions to detect and prevent cyberattacks, protect data and information and maintain or restore functionality in the face of threats.
     

Customer-specific requirements are identified during requirements analysis prior to system design. Experienced engineers and programme managers work with the customer to select the best available technology to design the optimal solution and guide the customer through the programme towards completion. Customisation and industry participation are also considered in the design process.

With these requirements in mind, Anschütz has developed SYNAPSIS NAVAL to ensure that the Warship INBS (WINBS) meets the requirements of today whilst being flexible to future technology refresh and inserts.

SYNAPSIS NAVAL as an example of a state-of-the-art WINBS

The traditional naval dockyards of Govan and Scotstoun, part of the British defence group BAE Systems, are situated on the River Clyde, Glasgow, Scotland. HMS Glasgow, the first ship of the Royal Navy's new Type 26 class, is currently being built there. HMS Glasgow is nearing completion and will be one of the most advanced warships in the world. The latest evolution of SYNAPSIS NAVAL is currently being installed on board, setting a new standard of navigation and ship steering capability.

SYNAPSIS NAVAL combines standardised and proven navigation technologies with systems for tactical operations, area surveillance and combat to provide customers with an advanced and reliable naval bridge system that meets and exceeds their operational requirements.

SYNAPSIS NAVAL complies with the IMO performance and IEC test standards MSC.252(83)/IEC 61924-2 for integrated navigation systems and is continuously adapted to the latest standards, such as the new presentation standards according to IEC 62288 Edition 3 and the future S-100 standards for (Warship) Electronic Chart Display and Information Systems ((W)ECDIS).

SYNAPSIS NAVAL uses a unique, open-architecture infrastructure software framework as an integration platform for all data and systems in the naval bridge area. To ensure reliability and integrity, central services provide configuration control, user management, security information and event management, health monitoring, redundancy management and backup management.

A multi-redundant data distribution service ensures that data, information and alarms are presented and processed consistently throughout the system. By intelligently integrating and validating all available data, SYNAPSIS NAVAL computes interoperable situation analyses and situational pictures of the environment in real time. Information can be shared with other vessels and shore stations.

Multifunctional workstations allow the bridge crew to control and operate any function from anywhere. The consoles are scalable in function and can be freely configured via software, allowing users to effortlessly switch between navigation and tactical functions. Modules can be easily added to flexibly adapt the ship's capabilities to operational requirements. SYNAPSIS NAVAL has already been seamlessly integrated into many types of CMSs and platform management systems.

Anschütz systems meet all the current security standards for products and services. Customised cyber security solutions that go far beyond the general requirements for software, hardware and network infrastructures can also be implemented in collaboration with the customer’s security team. These solutions are designed to the highest standards of system safety and security, are IMO- and ANEP-77-compliant and adapted to the individual requirements of each navy.

Key applications and systems for navigation and steering control

The bridge applications have a standardised, clear and easy-to-use human-machine interface. Key applications and systems include:

  • WECDIS for tactical navigation
    A fully compliant, type-approved, German-made WECDIS enhances mission effectiveness by improving the safety of navigation, situational awareness and tactical operations. In compliance with STANAG 4564 Ed. 3 (April 2017), it offers modular features such as tactical overlays, waterspace management and anti-submarine warfare.
  • Naval radar for navigation and surveillance
    An effective radar application combining navigation with surveillance tasks within a single, intuitive user interface. Tailored software modules include area and zone management, intrusion detection and interception, and helicopter guidance. Naval radar is type-approved with various radar sensors including Terma's SCANTER radars.
  • Steering control systems
    Anschütz steering control systems provide direct steering and FU bus control with the highest level of performance.

All systems are IMO-compliant and tailored to the customer's safety and environmental requirements. This includes the use of shock-resistant enclosures, safety switches and special interfaces to other systems such as platform management.

Technical support offerings

Stable and secure systems also require professional In-Service Support (ISS), optimal spare parts management and proactive system maintenance. The technical support of ships between and during operations has a considerable influence on the smooth and successful execution of missions. In-service solutions fully support navies with logistical and technical challenges.

Anschütz is a long-term partners who effectively support navies, for example through ISS contracts, obsolescence management and the insertion of updates and upgrades. Anschütz has been providing comprehensive ISS to the UK Type 45 destroyers since 2009 and is now extending its service to other ships and navies.

Through tailored ISS and WINBS technology, Anschütz navigation and bridge systems make a decisive contribution to the efficiency, superiority and operational readiness of naval vessels.

Looking to the future

Demographic change has made the search for available, qualified personnel more challenging. The increasing scarceness of human resources puts the onus on technology for the mission success of naval vessels.

Modern technologies can already help to make basic processes more efficient and automate tasks to reduce the workload of personnel on board. Integration and simplification can also help reduce crew sizes or streamline training. With increasing automation on the bridge, powerful communication links and high standards of cyber security, autonomous solutions are becoming a reality.

Technologies for remote monitoring and control of unmanned platforms are being rapidly developed and tested. In addition to navigation and steering control functions, cameras, sonars and other sensor systems are being integrated to gather new information and add value, for example through AI-based object recognition. All data is continuously fused and distributed to provide comprehensive and mission-specific situational awareness. Concrete applications already exist in critical infrastructure surveillance, reconnaissance and mine hunting capabilities.

Technology roadmaps are evolving towards autonomy due to the driving factors of crew shortages, safety and efficiency. Anschütz is already heavily involved in research and customer projects in this field.