Hensoldt UK Supplies Surface Search Radar With IFF to the French Navy

HENSOLDT UK will supply Kelvin Hughes Mk11 SharpEye surface search radars with combined HENSOLDT MSSR 2000 IFF systems to the French Navy “Patrouilleur d’Outre-Mer” or POM program being built by Socarenam Shipyard in France. The POM program provides six offshore patrol vessels for the French overseas territories.

Each vessel will be supplied with a Kelvin Hughes Mk11 SharpEye X band Surveillance radar, with a co-located HENSOLDT IFF Antenna. This in turn is connected to the HENSOLDT MSSR 2000 NATO Mode 5 IFF system.

These items will be supplied to the vessel prime integrator AVON Communications. Once installed on board, it will link to the combat system, also supplied by NEXEYA, a HENSOLDT company.

The radar and IFF system will be used to provide surface surveillance in the vicinity of the vessel. The IFF antenna being co-located on the radar reduces the number of turning units and space required on board. This makes the installation and integration a much less complex task, saving time in the installation and integration process, allowing smaller vessels to benefit from the capability of more complex systems in a smaller footprint.

The POM vessels will operate their own UAV systems and this system will contribute to safe UAV operations.

The SharpEye Mk11 radar with combined IFF demonstrates synergies within the extensive HENSOLDT portfolio, resulting in a market leading radar/IFF solution for smaller vessels.

“This solution puts HENSOLDT at the forefront of radar/IFF sensor supplier to the patrol boat market and brings two market leading technologies, SharpEye and MSSR2000 together in complementary package that will benefit many patrol boat programs”, stated Adrian Pilbeam Head of Sales, Maritime Surveillance, HENSOLDT UK.

HENSOLDT UK has supplied radar to over 30 navies worldwide.