SEA WATCHER 100

What is SEA WATCHER 100?

In modern warfare scenarios need for timely detection of small surface threats, also under adverse conditions, is the new challenge. These threats include asymmetric targets often operating in a littoral environment, but also conventional threats like submerged submarines operating in open ocean with only the periscope visible for radar detection. The Sea Watcher 100* radar is Thales answer to this. Thanks to the combination of highly sophisticated target detection processing and fixed panel antenna array technology, the radar offers unprecedented capabilities for naval surface surveillance. The system features fully automatic detection and tracking of nearly every surface target, ranging from very small threats such as mines, swimmers , periscopes, jet skis and rigid hull inflatables to conventional targets like ships, but also including stealth vessels. In addition to that Sea Watcher 100 can be used for detection and guidance of helicopters and UAVs. Sea Watcher 100 is specifically designed for operation in littoral environments, under all weather conditions and in one single operational mode. Its non-rotating antenna technology ensures high flexibility for ships integration, also in an integrated mast design or for instance for retrofitting on existing vessels.

The mission
Sea Watcher 100 is designed to be the main surface surveillance radar for naval platforms operating in open seas and littoral waters. The system provides an early warning that leaves sufficient time for effective actions also against asymmetric threats. It seamlessly integrates with a Combat Management System or can be used with a stand alone operator console, providing the crew with a detailed surface picture, day and night and under all weather conditions.

The benefits
Sea Watcher 100 provides a high quality, continuous, 360 degrees surveillance of the sea surface from a range of 80 m up to the radar horizon. The all-in-one radar approach facilitates ease of use of Sea Watcher 100: no special mode settings are required and the radar operates fully automatic. Sea Watcher 100s solid-state active phased array architecture, with advanced beam steering and burst scheduling algorithms, ensures both high Doppler resolution and high update rate, needed to discern small targets that are hidden in clutter. The sophisticated waveforms provide hands-off, single mode operation even when operating in spiky sea clutter conditions. Sea Watcher 100 operates in the X (NATO I/J) band. This band combines good performance for targets at low elevation with excellent Doppler discrimination for slow moving targets.
* Sea Watcher 100, is the export version of SEASTAR, which is in development for installation onboard of the new Netherlands Ocean Patrol Vessels.

Photographs by courtesy of the Royal Netherlands Navy

www.thalesgroup.com

By courtesy of Schelde Naval Shipbuilding

SEA WATCHER 100 antenna system front view

back view with open back cover

Features
- X-band (I/J) active phased array radar for all weather surface surveillance - Per antenna module ~1 kW transmitter power is radiated - 360 degrees unblocked surface coverage - An exceptionally high degree of automation allowing the operator to focus on the operational picture - Designed for operation in highly cluttered littoral environments. - Dedicated detection and tracking algorithms for small targets like asymmetric threats, mines, swimmers and periscopes - The Sea Watcher 100 architecture allows for strongly reduced logistical support, while using fully solid-state technology and non-rotating antenna design with high MTBCF and low MTTR - Minimum target speed for track initiation: 0 m/s - Radar resolution cell: 7.5 m / 1 degree. (short/medium range), 30 m / 1 degree (long range) - Update time: 1 s (short range), 1.6 s (medium range), 5 s (long range), employed simultaneously all in one mode - Thanks to the user-friendly design, the Sea Watcher 100 requires a minimum level of operator training

The Sea Watcher 100 offers an interface to the CMS based on open standards. Sea Watcher 100 is easily adaptable to changing requirements and is 100% future-proof.

Installation and maintenance

Sea Watcher 100 is easily installed while integrated in the deckhouse and is ideally suited for installation in an integrated mast structure. It has been designed for easy accessibility to be maintained from within the mast or deckhouse thus reducing the MTTR and limiting the exposure of crew members to outside hazards. The solid state active phased array architecture offers a graceful degradation and a very high MTBCF, combined with a low MTTR. Integrated Built-In Test is used for performance reporting, fault reporting and fault isolation. Sea Watcher 100 integrates with an existing CMS through an interface based on open standards or can be delivered with an integrated compact CMS, allowing stand-alone operation.

Sea Watcher 100 with its unique architecture overcomes the need for dedicated detection modes for different target types and enables long dwell time -for good Doppler resolutioncombined with high update rate, as would be impossible with conventional rotating radars. Sea Watcher 100 employs three search patterns with different update rates simultaneously and is thus able to automatically select optimal search patterns for short, medium and long range surveillance. Sea Watcher 100 has a modular design based on 1 to 4 antenna faces for 100 up to 360 degrees coverage in azimuth, allowing the customer to balance the coverage requirements with installation constraints. The Sea Watcher 100 can track more than 200 targets simultaneously.

ADDRESS
THALES NEDERLAND P .O. Box 42 7550 GD HENGELO THE NETHERLANDS Phone : +31 74 248 81 11 Fax : +31 74 242 59 36 THALES Parc Tertiaire SILIC 3, Avenue Charles Lindbergh - BP 20351 94628 RUNGIS Cedex France Phone : +33 1 79 61 40 00 Fax : +33 1 79 61 11 78

Surface Radar

THALES NEDERLAND B.V. and/or its suppliers. This information carrier contains proprietary information which shall not be used, reproduced or disclosed to third parties without prior written authorization by THALES NEDERLAND B.V. and/or its suppliers, as applicable.Data on this sheet may be subject to change without notification. DS.085/09/08/H

SEA WATCHER 100 Active phased array radar for naval defence