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The Integrated Modular Mast is a new concept for surface fleets that simplifies multi-sensor configurations to optimise performance, control costs and overcome electromagnetic interference. Thales is taking the innovative concept to the next level, working with the Royal Netherlands Navy on a littoral sensor suite based (Integrated Sensor & Communication System) on the Integrated Modular Mast approach.

"Naval platforms with traditional topsides often have more than 100 antennas for surveillance, communications, fire control and navigation. As the need to communicate increases, so too will the number of antennas," says Frank Biemans, Surface Radar, VP Naval Radars.

The problem is that the antennas not only compete for the best place on deck, but actually block each other physically or interfere. Navies buy equipment from individual suppliers, and after installation on board, they see overall performance reduced due to blocking and electromagnetic interference.

Furthermore, below deck, traditional antenna arrangements require expensive cabling infrastructures and a lot of valuable space to house the various processing cabinets.

Traditional equipment arrangements with myriad antennas on deck significantly increase the time and cost of building naval warships. The ship's design is not finished until all equipment interfaces have been agreed upon.

Integrated Topside Design (ITD)

With its extensive experience in Integrated Topside Design, Thales intends to position itself as design authority for Integrated Modular Masts. Taking into account a customer's operational needs, engineering and technical teams are developing a solution built around integrated sensors. It will ensure that the mechanical properties of the mast - which needs to withstand shock and vibration, blasts and severe environmental conditions - meet specific mission profiles. Above all, it will manage all the risks of interference between the different sensors in the mast or in other places on the super structure. Similarly, it will take care of the mast's signature, be it acoustic, RF, infrared or magnetic, as well as aspects like vulnerability, safety, logistics, and accessibility.

"On an ITD programme we're constantly talking to subsystem suppliers, both inside and outside the Thales organisation," says Jasper van der Graaff, ITD Technical Coordinator, "We need to identify problems together and fix them as early in the process as possible. We're working with the Air Systems division on ESM, for example, and with Land & Joint Systems on communication systems and EMI modelling tools. It's a truly multidomestic project, driven by Thales Nederland!"

As lead systems integrator, Thales carries out these tasks in cooperation with the shipyards. Shipyards contribute their naval architecting know-how and the engineering and production of the mast structure.

Integrated Modular Mast (IMM): ideal for coastal waters

"The Integrated Modular Mast will be a trend-setting development," predicts Biemans. "Within a few years, advanced navies will require Integrated Mast solutions for their patrol vessels, corvettes and frigates."

As a leading innovator in naval radar technology, Thales plans to be a front-runner in this area and is already positioned to supply the Royal Netherlands Navy with an Integrated Modular Mast for its future patrol vessels. These are very flexible, high-performance, long-endurance ships optimised for littoral missions such as maritime surveillance and drug interdiction.

With its common power supply and cooling infrastructure across all mast decks, and its protective environment for all sensors, the Integrated Modular Mast will require a minimum of maintenance staff, thus contributing to the reduced manning requirement.

The sensors for the patrol vessel have been selected to meet the specific challenges of littoral missions, ranging from tricky atmospheric conditions to surface targets such as mines, swimmers and periscopes that are difficult to detect between waves - not to mention false alarms triggered by windmills ashore or seabirds with missile-like radar cross-sections!

The Integrated Mast for the Dutch patrol vessels will contain the Smile and Seastar radars (marketed as SeaMaster 400 and SeaWatcher 100 for export markets) and the Gatekeeper, all designed to detect littoral targets that are not detected by typical rotating radars.

Royal Netherlands navy selects Thales's integrated mast

On 20 December 2007, the Netherlands' Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) and Thales Nederland signed a 125 million Euro contract for the development and supply of four Integrated Masts. The Integrated Masts will be installed on the four Ocean Patrol Vessels that are being built for the Royal Netherlands Navy (RNLN). The first ship is scheduled to be handed over to the RNLN at the end of 2010.

Article published in Login to Thales - Naval