The Royal Malaysian Navy has been successfully modernizing its maritime radar systems with the aid of Kelvin Hughes. The firm, a leading designer and supplier of innovative navigation and security surveillance radar systems, was contracted by the Boustead Naval Shipyard to supply a pair of type-approved upmast Doppler radar systems for each new ship in the Royal Malaysian Navy’s Second Generation Patrol Vessel (SGPV) program. The radar systems are the company’s solid-state Sharp-Eye Doppler radars with X- and S-band frequency coverage.
The vessels, also known as Littoral Combat Ships, are stealth frigates with 3,100-ton displacement. The first radar sets were delivered in July 2016 together with a system for the Shore Integration Facility (SIF), enabling the integration of combat management and other systems to be further developed and tested onshore prior to on-board installation. This is just part of the radar work being performed in the Malaysian area, with widescreen navigation radar displays being provided along with X- and S-band radars to the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) in support of six new coastal patrol vessels being manufactured by Destini Shipbuilding. In addition, Electronic Chart Display and Information Systems (ECDIS) have been supplied for MMEA's Fast Interceptor Boats.
“Our ongoing success in meeting the navigational needs of Malaysian maritime forces is further evidence of our ability to deliver the very best situational awareness solutions,” said Spike Hughes, Kelvin Hughes’ sales and marketing director. “In particular, our solid-state SharpEye systems offer ultra-high reliability and, with their Doppler processing technology, an unparalleled ability to distinguish between targets of interest and environmental clutter caused by high sea states and adverse weather conditions.”
