Kelvin Hughes' SharpEye selected for ANZAC frigates

Kelvin Hughes has won a contract for supplying SharpEye radars to the New Zealand Ministry of Defence for the frigate systems upgrade project, the company announced on 9 February. Lockheed Martin Canada is the prime contractor for this project.

Under this contract, Kelvin Hughes will supply its SharpEye S-Band solid state upmast 2D navigation and surveillance radar along with tactical naval MantaDigital display software and processors for two ship sets. The ministry has also selected the company's agile tracker option for advanced tracking of surface-based and low-level air-based targets.

Apart from the SharpEye sensor, Kelvin Hughes will supply the radar processor, antenna assembly, integrated housing and turning unit, software and integration with the combat management system. It will also provide training, in-service support and project deliverables from installation to sea acceptance.

The SharpEye radar will be fitted onto the Anzac-Class frigates Te Kaha and Te Mana as part of a suite of combat and related systems and sensors of the Lockheed Martin Canada upgrade. The design of the radar system ensures low-noise operations, and it features patented pulse compression and pulse sequence techniques to detect and track targets at longer ranges and earlier than comparable systems.